Train to Become a Confident Public Speaker With This $40 Bundle
Regardless of whether you’re doing it in person or via a Zoom call, speaking to an audience is and always will be an intimidating affair. In fact, there’s an actual phobia associated with public speaking. Glossophobia refers to the fear and anxiety around public speaking. It’s believed to affect up to 75 percent of the population.
In the real world, public speaking is something that many of us have to tackle. If your line of work happens to require you to address an audience regularly, you should not let your fear of public speaking adversely impact your career. You may not get to permanently get rid of the anxiety, but there are things you can do to mitigate your negative feelings about it.
The Mastering Presentation & Public Speaking Certification Bundle is a 6-pronged bundle dedicated to helping you become an effective presenter. It offers 51 hours of content on effective communication, presenting, and public speaking, so you can conquer every stage and crowd.
What you will learn
It starts with the basics, where you’ll learn how to properly structure a speech that can be easily followed by an audience. You’ll explore how to use notes, cues, and memory techniques to feel confident every time you step on stage. In addition, you’ll learn storytelling methods to captivate everyone in the room.
The bundle also covers how to identify with the audience and begin with the end goal of your speech in mind. And while it’s difficult to get rid of fear completely, you’ll at least learn how to project competence and confidence and command the room.
By the end of the courses, you’ll be a confident and compelling public speaker. For a limited time, you can grab the bundle on sale for $39.99 or less than $10 per course.
Learn to Successfully Market on Instagram Through This Digital Bootcamp
With over 1 billion active users, Instagram has become a cornerstone of many a company’s social media presence. It has the power to drive profitable traffic to websites, boost conversions, and build an engaged user base. But if your Instagram following is not on par, you need to step up your game in order to make the most out of the platform.
The 2021 Instagram Growth Marketing Bundle was put together specifically to help brands grow and monetize their following. All of the courses are taught by expert marketers and entrepreneurs. It features a chock-full of actionable insights and tips to grow your audience and create meaningful experiences.
Across six courses, you can expect to learn how to create a business page, increase the visibility and engagement of your posts, schedule and batch process posts to easily have consistent content, grow your follower fast with legitimate followers, and effectively target your desired audience and communicate visually with your Instagram fans, followers and customers.
Since Instagram is also ever-changing, you’ll also get up to speed with the different features you can use to create unique content. Plus, you’ll know what to avoid doing with the new algorithm updates. In addition, you’ll discover how to get shadowbanned. That way, your content will always be visible to the people that matter.
Improve your Instagram and grow your audience with the help of this bundle. It usually retails for $1,200, but for a limited time, it’s on sale for $19.99.
Land the Career of Your Dreams and Grow Within the Workspace With These Courses
We’re in the middle of a vaccination job boom. There are now more jobs available than before the pandemic, as job vacancies skyrocketed to almost 15 million by mid-March. However, reports reveal that job seekers are discouraged and hesitant to apply. This leaves many positions that remain unfulfilled. Now that vaccinations increase and companies can safely start hiring again, it’s only a matter of time until things start getting competitive again. When that happens, you need to step up your game, especially if you’re eyeing your dream role.
The Essential 2021 Career Skills Bundle has all the resources you need to master the workplace. For a limited time, you can get it on sale for 96 percent off.
The material is comprised of 11 courses put together by Total Training, a pioneer in innovative online courses. This package will equip you with job search, goal setting, business ethics, time management, and more, to help you land the job you need and the compensation you deserve. You’ll discover how to put together resumes that will catch the attention of employers. Also, you’ll receive tips on how to position yourself for all types of jobs.
There are also productivity tips, along with other soft skills training so you can be a more effective worker once you snag your dream job. You’ll learn how to do proper goal setting, manage workplace anxiety, increase profitability with business ethics, delegate tasks, creative problem solving, and a whole lot more.
This is your chance to train yourself to become a productive workhorse. Normally retailing for $629, the Essential 2021 Career Skills Bundle is on sale today for only $19.99, or less than $5 per course.
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff Introduces Bill Preventing States From Banning Volunteers Who Provide Food, Water At Voting Lines
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff introduced a bill prohibiting states from banning volunteers from distributing food and water to voters in line to vote.
Ossoff’s bill is a response to the voting restrictions bill that has been signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp, which makes it illegal for volunteers and organizations to give out refreshments within 150 feet of the outer edge of a polling location and within 25 feet of a voting line.
Last year volunteers gave out food and water at polling locations across the U.S. During the presidential election when Georgia residents stood in line for hours waiting to vote. The bill Kemp signed into law does allow poll workers to set up self-service water receptacles.
Under Ossoff’s bill, volunteers are able to pass out food and water as long as they offer it to every voter in line and refrain from political activity or discussions while they volunteer.
Ossoff said his bill could be tied into the H.R. 1, For the People Act of 2021, the sweeping election bill that has passed the House but is expected to face a tough fight from Republicans including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Georgia is well known for changing voting laws to ensure Republicans succeed in the state. Polling locations in Black neighborhoods and Democratic strongholds are limited, which leaves residents waiting in line for hours to vote.
“This is about decency — basic decency,” Ossoff said according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution This is about the health and well-being of a senior citizen who’s being made to wait six hours in line to vote and allowing a volunteer to hand that senior citizen a bottle of water without facing up to a year in jail.”
Since Georgia passed its voting bill, Arkansas, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, and other states have passed voting restriction bills tightening ID requirements, changes requirements for absentee and mail-in voting and cuts the use of drop boxes.
New Report Says Officers Shouldn’t Have Fired into Breonna Taylor’s Home
ABC News reported that released documents from an internal probe of Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting show a contradiction. Two investigators determined that none of the officers involved in serving a 2020 narcotics warrant at the 26-year-old’s apartment should have fired their gun the night that Taylor was killed last March. These new finding do not align with those of senior officials in the Louisville Metro Police Department’s, according to the new report issued by the investigators.
“Sgt. Andrew Meyer of the police department’s Professional Standards Unit determined in a preliminary report dated Dec. 4 that the three officers involved in the March 13, 2020, shooting should have held their fire after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot one of them,” according to the documents obtained by ABC News.
Additionally, ABC News added that according to the report, Meyer wrote that the officers took 32 total shots when the provided circumstances made taking a single shot unsafe. It was stated that Meyer also wrote that this is how the wrong person was shot and killed.
“Meyer made a preliminary finding that Louisville police Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who was shot in the leg during the incident, and former officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankison all allegedly violated department use-of-force policy by ignoring the significant risk of hitting someone who did not pose a threat, the internal report reads,” ABC News also reported, according to the report.
In March of 2020, ABC News said that 26-year-old Taylor–who was an EMT—drifted off to sleep with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker in Louisville, after watching a movie. Police reportedly swept through several city homes which were suspected drug operations, including Taylor’s. ABC News said that police fired 22 bullets into her home. Eight reportedly struck and killed Taylor. Police said they announced themselves many times, although it was said that Taylor repeatedly asked who was there, but she did not receive an answer.
According to The Courier Journal in 2020, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said that the investigation showed that Mattingly and Cosgrove were justified in their use of deadly force, after being fired upon by Walker.
The Washington Times also added that in a review of the fatal shooting from December, a Louisville police investigator wrote in a report that officers serving the narcotics warrant should not have returned fire when Taylor’s boyfriend shot at them, because it put others in danger.
However, AP News reported that Mattingly—who was struck by Walker’s bullet in the leg—was cleared of violating department policy by police officials who overruled Meyer’s findings.
“Two other officers who fired their guns during the raid have been fired for violating use of force policies. Mattingly is retiring on June 1,” The AP News said.
Cecilia Rouse Preaches Patience as U.S. Jobs, Economic Recovery Slowly Rebound
Cecilia Rouse, the first Black female to chair the Council of Economic Advisers, knows a lot of assumptions and actions are happening as a result of April’s job numbers.
Economists projected more than 1 million new jobs would be added in April, but last Friday it was announced only 266,000 new jobs were added. While many reacted quickly when the numbers were announced, Rouse, took a long -term view. For her, the numbers show positives.
“I was surprised that it was so far off of forecast but it was still a positive number. It showed we created as measured by the week in which employment is measured 266,000 more jobs than there was before and that is positive news,” Rouse told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “What we’ve seen since the president took office is in that on average 500,000 jobs a month [are added] and that was a discreet improvement from before and I think it shows were on the right track.”
Rouse added the pandemic is unlike anything the world has ever seen. Almost overnight the country and its economy was forced to shut down for more than a year. As a result, this will not be a quick recovery–and the country is still early in its recovery.
Vaccinations are being given at a record pace, but it doesn’t mean the economy is ready to take off just yet. Only 35% of the country is fully vaccinated, which means the majority of the country is still working at or staying at home.
Rouse, the former dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, told BLACK ENTERPRISE she expected a slow recovery with bumps in the road. Coronavirus cases are down 30% over the last two weeks but many jobs aren’t ready for a full staff or a typical day’s worth of customers.
“We powered down the country in a way that has never been done so when you power down an economy it doesn’t just snap back on,” Rouse said. “I fully expected bumps along the way. We started vaccinations for adults the week after the Bureau of Labor statistics measured employments in April.”
Republican governors hopped on the low job numbers to indicate that American workers are making too much to stay at home. Governors in Montana, South Carolina and Arkansas announced plans to cut expanded federal jobless benefits, arguing that an extra $300 a week is keeping people from working.
However, that is a short-sighted view of the recovery.
For starters, schools across the country are still closed and with the summer vacation less than a month away, many will stay that way. With childcare options either unaffordable or unavailable to millions of parents, many are still being forced to split time between working and raising their children.
Single parents may not have a choice but to stay home. The United States is also dealing with several shortages outside of labor, including lumber, gas, steel and semiconductors. These shortages are slowing the recovery and driving up prices at the same time.
One positive from the recovery is salaries for low-wage workers have increased
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, salaries and hourly wages passed their 2020 peak this March. The jump in wages includes low-wage workers in food preparation, servicing, cleaning, and individual care. Low-wage workers have seen a 3.2 percent jump in salaries since February, while salaries for high-wage workers have stayed flat an. Middle-wage workers have seen a 3.5% decline during the same time.
Rouse said the recovery will continue to be a slow process, but as vaccinations continue, cities and states reopen and in-person learning returns this fall, you can expect the recovery to continue.
“It’s only early May and the numbers are from early April,” Rouse told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “So I think we have to understand it’s going to take some time to dig out of the hole that we are in. We are waking up an economy and it turns out it’s pretty hard to wake up an economy that was shut down due to a pandemic, but we’re making progress and that’s due to the vaccination rollout and the American Rescue Plan, so we will get there.”
WNBA’s Atlanta Dream Will Feature An All-Black, All-Female Broadcast Team This Upcoming Season
Great things have been taking place in the city of Atlanta and it looks like it’s turning into a tradition! Several months ago in March, The WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors announced that they have unanimously approved the sale of the Atlanta Dream to Larry Gottesdiener, chairman of Northland, an industry-leading national real estate firm. The investor group for the Atlanta Dream franchise consists of Gottesdiener, Northland President and Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Abair, and former Dream basketball player Renee Montgomery.
Having a former player become part of ownership was a great achievement, but the Dream isn’t stopping there! With every Atlanta Dream home game this upcoming season, the events will be called by an all-female broadcast team, as LaChina Robinson, Tabitha Turner, and Angel Gray all return to the organization. These women comprise the first all-Black, all-female broadcast group in the Dream’s history.
“As the Atlanta Dream experiences new beginnings we are extremely excited to announce our new broadcast team for the 2021 season,” said Renee Montgomery, Dream co-owner and vice president in a written statement. “This broadcast team of all women is another positive step in our goal of providing empowerment to the diverse Atlanta community. It’s exciting knowing that moments such as these will create momentum, and we plan to keep that same level of energy moving forward.”
Robinson returns to the Dream for her 12th season after being the primary color analyst for the franchise’s first 11 seasons. “When Renee called me about coming back to the Dream it was a no-brainer,” Robinson said. “There is a palpable energy around the WNBA and the city of Atlanta that is undeniable. I’m honored to be a part of what the Dream is building under new leadership in this historic 25th season of the league.”
Turner, was with Georgia Tech women’s basketball team before her career as an analyst and reporter took off in Atlanta. “Excited is an understatement for me,” Turner said. “I truly feel blessed to be back with such an amazing, talented team that led the way in the fight for social justice and equality throughout the pandemic. Between the leadership of everyone involved and the high level of talent on this team, waiting to get started is the hardest part and I’m glad to be along for the ride!”
Gray rejoins the Dream for her third season in 2021 after serving as a sideline reporter and color commentator for the franchise in 2015 and 2016. “It’s really exciting to get the opportunity to go back home and cover such a young, talented and explosive team,” Gray said. “Their speed is their strength and it will be fun to cover not only the speed and athleticism of this team but how they lead off of the floor and in the Atlanta community as well. These women are true game changers on and off the court.”
Autumn Johnson is currently a host and sideline reporter for the NBA 2K League and the women’s college basketball digital beat reporter for NCAA Digital. “I’m beyond excited to join the Atlanta Dream’s broadcast for opening night,” Johnson said. “Being a Georgia native, the Dream was the first professional team I covered when I started my journalism career, so this is a full-circle moment to have the opportunity to call my first WNBA game for my home team.”
The Atlanta Dream will tip off their 14th season in the WNBA in May 2021.
In the past year, the value of community and the movement to “support local” have become more prominent than ever before. As post-pandemic recovery efforts continue, consumers want to see their communities thrive, and they know that buying locally is key to that growth. In a recent study, most consumers reported that they buy local in order to provide support to their local community and local economy.[1]
However, multiculturally-owned businesses face disproportionate challenges. Between February and April 2020, Black-owned businesses declined by 41 percent, while white-owned businesses declined by only 17 percent. Even under normal circumstances, eight out of 10 Black-owned businesses fail within the first 18 months.[2]
At Spectrum Reach, we believe that businesses thrive when communities connect. We have always been champions of small businesses, dedicated to helping them connect with their target audiences in their local communities and beyond. With a presence in more than ninety markets, we live and work in the communities we serve. And we know that diverse-owned businesses are a vital part of those communities.
Doing Our Part to Connect Communities
In the fall of 2020, Spectrum Reach embarked on an ambitious endeavor focused on connecting communities and expanding our company’s support of small businesses. This year, our efforts continue as we commit to reaching, investing, and providing resources to help local businesses and communities thrive. As part of the Connecting Communities initiative, Spectrum Reach has committed $15 million to the Pay It Forward program to support diverse-owned small businesses in their efforts to rebound by offering free advertising and marketing resources through partnerships with local chambers and multicultural associations in more than fifty markets.
Selected businesses will benefit from the full power of Spectrum Reach’s advertising expertise, services, and products, enabling them to expand their marketing efforts and create greater connections with their customers.
Key benefits for selected businesses include:
Free, dedicated support from a local Spectrum Reach sales representative
Three-month optimized TV schedule using our award-winning AudienceApp media-planning tool
Access to entrepreneur webinars and exclusive local events
Complimentary customized Waymark commercial to promote their business
In addition, the “Pay It Forward” Speaker Series will offer unrivaled access and insights from celebrity entrepreneurs on overcoming challenges and actionable advice on accessing resources to grow their business.
“Pay It Forward” was launched in collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce and local Black chambers of commerce and Hispanic chambers of commerce in order to amplify and reach minority-owned businesses across the U.S.
By connecting communities, we will continue to rebuild and grow together.
Spectrum Reach provides data-infused marketing and advertising solutions for businesses of all sizes. We help businesses find new customers and reach anyone, anywhere, on any screen. Spectrum Reach is your trusted neighbor and one-stop shop. Grow your business with the best insights, content, products & people. Learn more at Spectrumreach.com
[1] Source: “Consumers Want to Support Their Local Economy by Supporting Local Businesses, According to a Survey by ZypMedia,” May 28, 2020.
[2] Source: Green, Dymond, “Why Black-owned businesses are struggling to stay afloat,” CNBC, February 3, 2021.
Judge Rules That Parents Must Choose Between Confederate Flag or Their Child
An Albany, New York, district judge ruled last week that if the parents of a biracial child do not remove the imagery of a Confederate flag they could face consequences.
Justice Stanley Pritzker is not pleased parents, identified only as Christie BB and Isaiah CC, have subjected their 7-year-old to embrace a rock with a Confederate flag painted on it, The Hill reported.
The judge is giving the parents an ultimatum, lose the rock or your daughter.
It was in 2014 when the appellate division of the state’s second-highest court ruled in a 5-0 decision, ruled by Justices John Egan, Sharon Aarons, Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald, and John Colangelo, and Pritzker, to make the couple retain their joint custody of the newborn child.
However, details of the rock and the child’s mixed-race put into question if the parents are acting in the best interest of the child, The Albany Times Union first reported.
“Given that the child is of mixed race, it would seem apparent that the presence of the flag is not in the child’s best interests, as the mother must encourage and teach the child to embrace her mixed race identity, rather than thrust her into a world that only makes sense through the tortured lens of cognitive dissonance,” Pritzker wrote.
“Christie BB” has until June 1 to remove the rock from her driveway or the courts will look “into any future best interests analysis.”
“As such, while recognizing that the First Amendment protects the mother’s right to display the flag if it is not removed by June 1, 2021, its continued presence shall constitute a change in circumstances and Family Court shall factor this into any future best interests analysis,” his statement continued.
“In response to questioning, the mother testified that she has never used any racial slurs in front of the child or at all,” the ruling said.
The child’s current guardian is a lawyer who told Times Union that the ruling was fair, but he does not think the rock belongs to “Christie BB.”
New York City Launches $25 Million Recovery Program to Support Artists and Performers
New York City is launching a $25 million program to provide funding for artists for public works and to support artists who have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The City Artist Corps will pay artists, musicians, and performers to create public works across the city. That includes performances, pop-up shows, stand up comedy shows, graffiti murals, and other community art projects. According to Hyper Allergic, the program is slated to create jobs for more than 1,500 artists in the city, a fraction of the more than 50,000 that reside in the five boroughs.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the program drew inspiration from President Franklin Roosevelt’s Federal Art Project, which was part of his New Deal to bring the U.S. out of the Great Depression.
“We’re going to take inspiration from that model and bring it to today,” de Blasio said according to Hyper Allergic. “The City Artist Corp is going to employ artists as part of the comeback of New York City.”
The city’s arts and entertainment scenes are renowned across the world, but the pandemic shut it down almost overnight. Everything from plays off and on Broadway, to jazz clubs, stand-up venues, art galleries, and other venues closed.
According to the City Comptroller’s Office, employment in the arts, entertainment, and recreation employment declined by 66% from 2019 due to the pandemic. Because many artists in the city don’t have full-time jobs and aren’t used to being paid on a bi-weekly basis the pandemic crushed the industry.
New York’s Cultural Affairs Commissioner, Gonzalo Casals, told the New York Times the program will ensure New York City’s performers, comedians, poets, writers, and others are not left out of the recovery.
“We want to make sure that we put funds in the pocket of artists,” Casals said in an interview. “Artists have been one of the hardest-hit populations. They have so much to offer and so much to give.”
