Shaquille O’Neal and Icy Hot Launch Grant Program to Help Student Athletes Impacted By COVID
The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation announced that it is partnering with Icy Hot to launch an initiative to help high school athletics programs that have been financially burdened by the coronavirus pandemic.
Through the Get Game Ready program, the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation will issue grants to help with financial aid to the school sports programs that are in need of assistance. The program will also provide additional support through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), where the members will offer expert guidance aimed at reducing the risk of injuries among high school athletes and mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
“Sports are a lifeline for student-athletes and help build a sense of community,” Shaquille O’Neal said in a written statement. “That’s why I am proud to partner with Icy Hot and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association to help struggling high schools get their athletics programs back up and running and supply students with necessary protective gear and equipment when the time is right.”
“The health and safety of every student-athlete is paramount, especially as the country navigates sports during COVID-19,” NATA President Tory Lindley, MA, ATC, said. “As school sports resume, many students will have to adjust to intense levels of activity after months of being out of play, so it will be more important than ever to have the support of skilled athletic trainers who can help reduce the risk of injuries and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Icy Hot will donate $1 to The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation for every box of Icy Hot products sold. Public high schools with a Title I designation needing help for their athletics programs are encouraged to apply. Grant recipients will be able to use the money to purchase much-needed gear and PPE.
You can learn more about The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation’s Get Game Ready grant program and application process at shaqfoundation.org/GetGameReady or IcyHot.com/GetGameReady.
This New Collaboration Wants To Engage More Young Girls To Get Into STEM
According to a 2015 survey, Black and Latina women workers represent 4% of the total workforce. Now, numerous organizations are coming together to help influence more women and young girls to get into the STEM field. The Intel Foundation alongside the STEM Next Opportunity Fund, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to create The Million Girls Moonshot initiative. The collaboration will work with partners to help engage girls from underrepresented communities in STEM.
“Over its 30-year history, the Intel Foundation has a legacy of leveraging the best of Intel – our technology, philanthropy, and employee expertise – to catalyze positive social change. STEM education has been at the core of our areas of impact since we began this critical work,” said Pia Wilson-Body, President of the Intel Foundation, in an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE via email.
“We joined the STEM Next Opportunity Fund, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in the launch of the Million Girls Moonshot because we understand how important it is to close the gender gap and increase racial diversity in STEM fields – particularly in engineering and computer sciences.”
The new initiative aims to promote socio-economic, gender, and racial diversity in the STEM field to engage one million girls through afterschool programs and mentorship by exposing girls to STEM at an early age.
“We believe that all girls have the amazing potential to change the world when they have access to high-quality education and technology skills that prepare them to become scientists, engineers, inventors, and entrepreneurs,” she added.” “The Million Girls Moonshot will inspire girls to explore, create new paths, and follow their dreams in science, technology, and engineering fields.”
Wilson-Body went on to say that with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the world to go virtual, these types of programs and initiatives are more important now more than ever. “Right now, the pandemic is deepening the digital divide and disproportionately hindering learning opportunities for girls of color. It is more important now than ever to engage girls and youth in underinvested communities in high-quality STEM education to close the gap and provide them with opportunities to engage in STEM programs,” she said.
“The Million Girls Moonshot is unique in its scale and collaborative approach. By bringing together a wide range of cross-sector partners and working with the afterschool networks in each state, it has the potential to reach 10 million youth and 100,000 afterschool learning programs across the country. The Million Girls Moonshot takes a collective impact approach that has the potential to move the needle to change disparities girls face and create broad positive outcomes. That is why this Initiative is so necessary.”
The Notorious B.I.G.’s Son C.J. Wallace Says His Father ‘Would Be Honored to Share the ‘Notorious’ Title With’ Ruth Bader Ginsburg
From the days when Brooklyn rapper, Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls, had to legally change his stage name and became The Notorious B.I.G., the moniker fit him well, even after his untimely death back in 1997.
Now, in 2020, after the death of Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was also dubbed Notorious RBG, people are talking about the nickname given to her by authors Shana Knizhnik and Irin Camron.
The authors gave her that nickname and on the cover of the book, “Notorious RBG,” it featured an image of Ginsburg donning a gold crown, similar to the one B.I.G. wore.
According toBlavity, the son of the Brooklyn rapper, C.J. Wallace, had stated that his father would have been proud to share the nickname with the late Supreme Court Justice.
“Brooklyn, New York, represents no fear, confidence, and speaking your truth, and my dad and Justice Ginsburg lived those words,” Wallace said in a statement. “I think he would be honored to share the ‘Notorious’ title with her, and it’s up to us to honor their legacies by continuing to fight for equality and justice for all by voting and getting into good trouble.”
“For it still to relate so much 20 plus years later, it’s just insane,” he said.
Back in 2017, Ginsburg had said, “I think about how this Notorious RBG was created. People ask me, ‘Don’t you feel uncomfortable with a name like the Notorious B.I.G.?’ Why should I feel uncomfortable? We have a lot in common. And first and foremost, we were both born and bred in Brooklyn, New York.”
Dwayne Johnson Backs Joe Biden and Kamala Harris In His First-Ever Endorsement
Legendary wrestler, action actor, and entrepreneur Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has done something that he has never done in his decades-long career: endorsed a candidate for president.
Johnson, who considers himself a centrist and registered as an independent, has taken the path to endorse them after stating he met with them and was impressed enough to want to officially endorse a candidate for president.
He took to Twitter and Instagram to announce his choice as a video of the three of them was also posted to for his followers to view.
“As a political independent and centrist for many years, I’ve voted for Democrats in the past and as well as Republican. In this critical election, I believe Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the best to lead our country, and as my first ever (public) Presidential endorsement, I proudly endorse them for the presidential office of our United States.
“Progress takes courage, humanity, empathy, strength, grit, kindness, and respect. Being KIND & RESPECTFUL to one another will always matter”
As a political independent & centrist, I’ve voted for both parties in the past. In this critical presidential election, I’m endorsing @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris.
The Rock gave high praise to Sen. Harris by saying, “You have been an attorney, a district attorney, a state attorney, a U.S. senator, smart, tough — I’ve seen you in those hearings and, in my opinion, you are a certified badass.”
“I am honored and thank you for that. That’s a huge compliment from you,” a beaming Harris replied.
Black State Representative Charged With Setting Library on Fire During Breonna Taylor Protest
Black Lives Matter protests in Louisville, Kentucky, have intensified after the recent announcement that the officers responsible for Breonna Taylor will not be charged for her death. On Friday, Attica Scott, Kentucky state legislature’s only black woman representative, was arrested and charged with felony riot charges.
“In Breonna’s name, neither I or my teenage daughter who was arrested with me tried to burn down a library that our people need,” Scott said at a press conference earlier Friday morning, according to the Courier-Journal. “Those are some ridiculous charges that are levied against us.”
Scott shared a live stream video of the event to show that they were in compliance and the officers and other plans. “It was clear they didn’t want us to either go back to our vehicles or go across the street to the church,” Scott said to the Courier-Journal. “They wanted to arrest us.”
Ted Shouse, one of the attornies representing Scott, said the charges were outlandish with the live stream video providing clear evidence that his client is innocent.
“All three of these women are clearly, factually innocent,” said Shouse to the Courier-Journal. “The charges should be dismissed at the earliest opportunity. It’s another sad day for Louisville. … I hope the prosecutors do the right thing.”
The incident has garnered criticism from politicians and social media. Rep. John Yarmuth of Louisville tweeted about Scott’s arrest on social media.
“To accost, accuse, arrest, & charge her with setting fire to a library of all things — apparently minutes before the curfew was even in effect — is as stupid as it is untrue. Using guilt by association as grounds for arrest is yet another reason why the system needs profound change,” wrote Yarmuth on Twitter.
The representative also went on to say that Scott “has done more to lift our community up and bring us together in recent weeks than many in Frankfort seem to get done in entire terms of service.”
Black Lives Matter Activist Created Fake Charity and Used Money To Buy House, Guns
An Atlanta man has been arrested for creating a fake Black Lives Matter charity and spending the money gained on a house, suits, and guns.
Sir Maejor Page, 32, also known as Tyree Conyers-Page, was caught in Toledo, Ohio, Friday following a raid at a home in the city. Maejor Page has been federally charged with wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
According to federal agents, Page created and ran social media pages for an organization known as the Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta. However, the organization’s status as a non-profit was revoked last year after the paperwork wasn’t filed.
A bank account under the organization never topped $5,000 until this summer when it saw a huge influx of cash after the death of George Floyd and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Authorities added that from June to August the account received $465,000 in donations that were transferred to an account operated by Page.
According to the New York Post, Page responded to social media inquiries in June, saying the donated funds were only used for “movement-related” expenses, not for “personal items.”
The FBI however, said it was unable to find any expenses related to Black Lives Matter, social or racial injustice efforts in the $200,000 spree. What they did find was a debit card linked to the account that made purchases such as food, tailored suits, accessories, and entertainment. Authorities also found Page used his personal account to accept a transfer of funds from the group’s account and used the funds to purchase a pistol and two rifles.
Authorities said Page’s biggest expense was the home in Toledo and an adjacent lot he purchased for $112,000. Authorities also obtained videos of Page bragging about purchasing new clothes, hotel rooms, and office space in Atlanta.
The Daily Mail reported court and arrest records from 2014 and 2015 revealed Page faced charges of impersonating an officer.
Page is currently free on a $10,000 bond but is restricted from using Facebook or any fundraising platform and from opening lines of credit or bank accounts without permission.
Civil Rights Attorney Leo Terrell Calls The Democratic Party An ‘Asylum’ That He ‘Escaped’
On a recent episode of Fox News Justice with Jeanine, civil rights attorney Leo Terrell stated that he “escaped” the Democratic Party “asylum” and that he will be “not going back,” according to The Daily Caller.
The outspoken lawyer made the remarks during a discussion over the weekend about how Catholic Democrats are opposing Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The former Black Democrat has been making the rounds to discuss his disgust with the party he used to belong to while making a plea for other Black people to join him in leaving the Democrats, specifically for the upcoming presidential election.
“I had to get away from the asylum and guess what? I escaped and I am not going back,” he said. “It’s just that [the Democrats] hate: when they don’t have an argument they’ll just make up an argument.”
He continued to attack the Democrats on Twitter earlier today.
I cannot work with the Democratic Leadership. Vote #Trump ‘I Escaped And I’m Not Going Back’: Leo Terrell Says He Left The Democratic Party ‘Asylum’ https://t.co/A4iOSM9mJj via @dailycaller
Apparently branding himself Leo 2.0 in reference to him now playing on the Republican team.
I am extremely happy after leaving the Democratic AKA Socialist Party. LEO 2.0 Vote #Trump Ex-Democratic Civil Rights Attorney Celebrates Leaving the Left: He ‘Escaped’ the ‘Asylum’ https://t.co/gPwvU08lff
The attorney tells his Twitter followers that he is not being paid by Fox News to fight so hard for President Donald Trump.
Dear Friends: I did an interview for an up-coming news article. I stated my support and intention to vote for @realDonaldTrump One of the questions asked: Am I being paid by @FoxNews. I responded NO!! Do you think I was asked about payment because I am Black?
Nancy Pelosi Keeping Hope Alive As Democrats Prepare New Coronavirus Relief Package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are trying to forge ahead with a smaller coronavirus stimulus package costing $2.4 trillion.
The amount is about $1 trillion less than the package the House passed in May, but more than what the Trump Administration has signaled it will accept. According to CNBC, the legislation is sure to include direct payments to Americans, unemployment benefits and a new round of Paycheck Protection Program funding.
Pelosi has been pushing Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to increase the Trump Administration’s initial $1.3 trillion offer by another $1 trillion. Mnuchin, however indicated the administration would not approve a bill that costs more than $1.5 trillion.
“When I have a conversation with the administration, it is in good faith. I trust Secretary Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution, and I believe we can come to an agreement,” Pelosi said in an interview on CNN.
“However, at some point, the public is going to have to see why $2.2 or now $2.4 trillion dollars is necessary,” Pelosi added. “The president’s denial of the virus and just resistance to doing anything to crush it has made matters worse … So we may need more money than that. And we will reveal what that is in a short period of time.”
Senate Republicans tried to push their own package, but the bill failed the first procedural vote over Democratic objections. The Senate bill does not include state and local government assitance, food assistance, a smaller federal unemployment benefit and a second relief check to Americans.
The coronavirus has claimed more than 200,000 American lives, the unemployment rate is still above 8% and the stock market is unstable
Despite the stack of failed relief packages, Pelosi believes the government can come together at a time where the government is entering a fight for the next Supreme Court Justice and the next presidential election is coming up fast.
“I think we have a chance to get something done and we want to,” Pelosi told CNBC. “What we will be putting forth is an offer to say, now let us negotiate within a time frame and a dollar amount to get the job done to put money in people’s pockets, to honor our heroes and to crush the virus.”
Code Wiz Franchise Founder Ruth Agbaji is on a Mission to Transform Children’s Lives Through STEM
In the world of franchising, there are a vast number of child enrichment brands. From academic tutoring to cooking classes, all the options enable parents to engage their children in stimulating activities to help them discover new talents and expand their opportunities in life.
One of the biggest categories, however, is around STEM. STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.
Ruth Agbaji, CEO and co-founder of the Code Wiz franchise, shares why she launched the business, why it shines above the competitors, and why she decided to expand through franchising. Agbaji earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria and her master’s degree in computer science from Tufts University. Previously, she worked as a software engineer at Microsoft, Kronos, and a few start-ups.
BLACK ENTERPRISE: What made you decide to start Code Wiz?
Agbaji: The need for flexibility. After I earned my master’s degree, I got a job that I hated. I felt I could be doing much more, so I set my sights on Microsoft. I landed a position at Microsoft, but I still was unfulfilled. While those jobs pay well, as a junior engineer, you work on relatively small projects and don’t get to participate in planning or influencing the bigger picture. I’ve always been a big picture person. I wanted to make a bigger impact–something that would change people’s lives. I then decided to start my family, so we moved to the suburbs, which resulted in my commute being 1.5 hours each way. I changed jobs to be closer to home, thinking that would help.
However, I was still unfulfilled. After my son was born, things got even more complicated and I knew I needed to take control of the situation. As part of my journey to graduate school, I taught myself how to code. With that knowledge, I felt I could merge my two worlds–coding and children. I realized that the most impact I could have on the world was to help the current and next generation to learn coding.
In 2017, I started exploring franchise opportunities that involved teaching children to code, and I didn’t feel strongly connected with any of them. then started working with a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) advisor and after talking, she suggested that I consider starting my own.
Code Wiz franchise students learning
That’s a pretty incredible journey. I assume that you knew you wanted to franchise from the beginning since you had been looking at franchises?
Not exactly. I had actually planned to open five corporate locations on my own. Remember, I was looking for flexibility so that I could spend time with my family, so I never really imagined franchising. However, people started coming into the center and asking if it was a franchise. The demand really grew, and I received several requests from people in other states about the opportunity to own a center. And, unbelievably, I discovered people copying my curriculum and website! That led me to start to consider franchising so that I was able to better control the brand and provide an opportunity for others to own a center.
Growing and Competing Globally
I noticed you have a United Kingdom phone number on your website. Are you also getting virtual students from the UK?
Great question. Prior to COVID-19, we had no intention of providing online instruction. Well, when it hit, we didn’t really have a choice. Initially, we thought it would just be for a few weeks, but as time went on, we knew we had to fully transition. Turns out, we were doing a really great job with the virtual classes because coding is easy to teach virtually. As a result, we started receiving requests from Switzerland, Canada, and some from Nigeria. At that point, we decided to go international.
Once that happened, Tutor Doctor, which operates in 15 countries across four continents, reached out to us and wanted to offer some of our courses to their clients, and asked if we would be interested in a partnership over the summer. Of course, we said yes! =Their franchise owners in the UK were also interested, so we formed a global partnership, and now we have Tutor Doctor students from Dubai taking our courses.
Code Wiz students working in teams
Something else I saw that was unique to Code Wiz was that you have your students participate in some pretty prestigious robotics competitions. How does that work?
Yes, it’s a lot of fun. We participate in three main competitions. The Robotics competition is a worldwide competition where the students design, build, program, and operate large robots. It’s a great opportunity for kids because parents care a lot about kids learning to work in teams. As a software engineer, you have to be able to work as a team. We saw this as an opportunity to show kids how to work as a team through fun, friendly competition. The Girls Tech competition is also worldwide. It shows girls that they are not the only one who enjoys coding. All the projects must be socially inclined. The third competition is one we created in-house called Code for a Cause. This teaches kids that it’s not just about learning how to code, but how you can use your code to make a difference in the world. From creating a game around recycling to showing kids why they should bully, to saving the earth.
You now have four locations in Massachusetts and one in New Jersey. What is your growth strategy?
We have a few things in the works, but we will be expanding nationwide. Originally, we had planned to expand regionally, but we’re working on something that will enable us to go nationwide very soon.
Becoming a Code Wiz Owner
What do you look for in a Code Wiz owner?
First and foremost, a passion for education and working with kids. An owner needs to be able to see themselves interacting and having fun–and sometimes even thinking like a child. You also need grit. You can’t choose to lay down and die at the first instance of trouble. I also like candidates that consider making an impact on the next generation as part of their return on investment (ROI). You can make good money having a Code Wiz business, but you must be able to see the value in the difference you’re making on children’s futures. That’s one of the things that really keeps me going. I always imagine the next Bill Gates coming out of Code Wiz. Finally, we like to encourage women and people of color to become owners. It’s a great way to be a role model and make a difference in the community.
In addition to the personality criteria, our investment range is between $118,000 and $194,000, which includes the $40,000 franchise fee, and a net worth requirement of $150,000.
What advice do you have for people that have a desire to be business owners?
The biggest thing I hear when speaking with prospective owners is fear. I tell them they won’t know if they’ll be successful if they don’t try. You can’t be afraid to try. If it doesn’t work out, you will have learned something that you can take to your next venture. I had 10 micro-businesses before starting Code Wiz and they all failed. But I learned something for each of them and brought those lessons with me when I created Code Wiz.
Donald Trump Could Face Tax Fraud Probe After NYT Investigation
The conversation around Donald Trump’s tax returns started during his run for the presidency in 2016 after repeatedly refusing to show his tax returns. This week, The New York Times released a bombshell report finally uncovering his past New York state returns and financial history. Now, people are calling for Trump’s arrest after proof of years of tax evasion, with the Manhattan District Attorney’s (DA) office saying that the president could now face a tax fraud probe.
In the Times investigative report, the writers state that “the tax returns that Mr. Trump has long fought to keep private tell a story fundamentally different from the one he has sold to the American public. His reports to the I.R.S. portray a businessman who takes in hundreds of millions of dollars a year yet racks up chronic losses that he aggressively employs to avoid paying taxes. Now, with his financial challenges mounting, the records show that he depends more and more on making money from businesses that put him in potential and often direct conflict of interest with his job as president.”
The Hill reported the DA’s office has submitted a court filing on the matter between Trump and Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr. over prosecutors’ subpoena for the president’s financial records.
“Even if the grand jury were testing the truth of public allegations alone, such reports, taken together, fully justify the scope of the grand jury subpoena at issue in this case,” the office wrote in the report, according to The Hill.
“In particular, public reports have alleged that Trump Organization executives used fraudulent financial statements as part of long-standing practices of overstating assets sent to potential business partners and lenders and minimizing assets in tax returns.”
The court will begin to hear oral arguments from both parties on Friday. Last year, the DA’s office issued Trump’s accounting firm, Mazars USA, a grand jury subpoena to investigate his tax returns and finances. In a court filing back in August, the DA cited that the subpoena was part of an investigation into “possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.”
