Meet The Founder of Melanin Meetups, A Think Tank For Black Professionals
by Dana Givens

July 29, 2020

Meet The Founder of Melanin Meetups, A Think Tank For Black Professionals

In a time where more conversations around race are occurring across the country due to the recent Black Lives Matter protests, many people have called for more hubs for Black professionals and entrepreneurs.

One entrepreneur answered the call by creating a space for Black professionals to network, thrive, and make change. Kirk Brown started Melanin Meetups in 2016 as a way for more Black professionals to network to obtain more opportunities in their respective fields.

“I started [the company] as a call to action to fortify my community’s narrative in this country in response to the 2016 election and impending events that would come after,” said Brown in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Given my family is from the Jim Crow south, I saw how malleable my identity was through their narratives in relation to mainstream American narrative taught to us in school. As a result, I’ve always questioned America’s civic religion (holidays, labels, national figures, etc.) throughout childhood and the way our narrative has been treated throughout the country’s existence. I felt for our community’s advancement in the 21st century, it was imperative to begin to better understand who we are, creating a space for conversation and connection to move forward powered by data.”

The national think tank has been able to work on various projects that involve research while developing data-driven solutions to advance those within the Black community. One of their recent projects, the Better Together Project, was designed to memorialize the African American experience with one of the first initiatives being to stop the glamorization of plantation tourism in the South.

“On top of leveraging industry to foster cultural and economic power at our meetups; we encourage members of our think tank to question and challenge who we are as a group with new schools of thought in order to see how integral we are to America’s success and future,” Brown explained.

“Doing this allows us to see our growth point toward acceptance of all members of our community, which helps to facilitate a strong foundational narrative that can sustain us and carry us to [the] next steps as a community in the 21st century.”

‘Black-ish’ Star Yara Shahidi and Her Mom Launch Production Company and Ink Deal With ABC Partnership
by Dana Givens

July 29, 2020

‘Black-ish’ Star Yara Shahidi and Her Mom Launch Production Company and Ink Deal With ABC Partnership

Black-ish and Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi is making major moves both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. The 20-year-old actress and her mother, Keri Salter Shahidi, have launched a production company, 7th Sun Productions.

Its first deal is a partnership with ABC Studios to develop and produce television projects for cable, streaming, and broadcast. Shahidi has already enlisted veteran executive Lajoie St. George, who brings over 10 years of experience from NBC International, to the company.

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with my home family, ABC Studios, in this exciting next chapter, alongside my family,” said Shahidi in an interview with Deadline. “It’s exciting to add our production company to the roster of my peers and mentors who are also actively committed to sharing meaningful stories.”

“We can’t wait to extend and expand our relationship with the incredibly talented Yara Shahidi, who has been a member of the family since black-ish,” ABC Studios President Jonnie Davis told Deadline. “When she’s not studying at Harvard and starring in our series grown-ish, she’s mentoring and inspiring other young people, which makes us all feel like underachievers but also very proud that she’s part of our Studio.”

“Yara is a force,” black-ish creator Kenya Barris told Deadline. “She is insanely talented, unreasonably smart, and hardworking beyond compare. I’ve called her ‘McMogul’ for years and seeing all that she has accomplished should come as no surprise to anyone that knows her. This deal is just the beginning for Yara, and I’m excited to see where she takes this next chapter and the storyteller she becomes.”

 

9-Year-Old Black Girl Is The Youngest Person In Florida To Die From Coronavirus
by Derek Major

July 28, 2020

9-Year-Old Black Girl Is The Youngest Person In Florida To Die From Coronavirus

A 9-year old girl died in her sleep earlier this month due to the coronavirus, making her the youngest COVID-19-related fatality in Florida.

According to Essence.com, Kimora Lynum, who was described by her parents as being healthy with no preexisting conditions that would put her at risk, died July 17. Now Lynum’s parents want to make sure other parents in Florida and beyond are aware the coronavirus can have devastating effects.

“It hit home, and I think a lot of people out here are not understanding that we have to take this thing seriously,” family spokesperson Dejeon Cain told First Coast News. “We cannot send our kids to school in the midst of a pandemic, and use them as a pawn. We’ve lost compassion in our state and local governments.”

It’s still unknown how Lynum contracted the virus–she had not traveled during the coronavirus pandemic, and she was not known to have come into contact with anyone who was known to have the virus. Lynum’s mother originally took her to the hospital because she had a high fever. The hospital sent her home and she collapsed a short time later, Cain said.
“She was doing good at one point, and all of a sudden she had a situation with a fever,” Cain said.
Lynum’s family was already mourning the death of Kimora’s father, Theophilus Lynum, who was shot and killed earlier this year. The investigation into his death is ongoing.
There are more than 440,000 coronavirus cases in the state of Florida; more than 6,100 people have succumbed to the illness. The state broke its own record for the most deaths in a day related to the coronavirus Tuesday with 186.
The Florida Department of Health announced two days before Lynum’s death that 23,170 children ages 17 and under have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic. Just a week later that number jumped to 31,150, a 34 percent increase.
Despite the jump in cases,  Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran announced all schools will open for at least five days a week. The Florida Education Association has filed a lawsuit in response against Gov. Ron DeSantis,  Corcoran, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez, the Florida Department of Education, and the Florida State Board of Education.
Beauty Entrepreneur Creates Organic Collection Inspired By Her East African Heritage
by Dana Givens

July 28, 2020

Beauty Entrepreneur Creates Organic Collection Inspired By Her East African Heritage

With people becoming more conscious about health and wellness within the U.S., a new wave of companies have been born promising to only use natural ingredients that promise to yield better results and be healthier for your overall well-being. Two working mothers decided to come together and create a new beauty brand focusing on prioritizing your self-care.

Selam Kelati is the co-founder of I+I Botanicals with Jennifer Culpepper, the founder and creative director of Brand Joint, an award-winning branding studio designing for the cannabis and hemp industries. Inspired by her East African heritage, Kelati was determined to create products good for the body and the soul.

“We wanted to create a company that made a positive impact in the world. But primarily, we wanted to create products WE wanted to use,” said Kelati in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. “We developed the I+I beauty brand due to a lack of practical and natural skincare products. As working mothers, we understand the unique pressures on women. We are often the caretakers, nurturers, healers, problem-solvers for everyone in our lives.”

“That does not leave much in the tank for our own well-being. One way we aim to help is by creating products that are simple to use and blend easily into a busy daily routine,” she explained.“In addition, the products are created to provide an uplifting experience with subtle aromas from natural (and organic) essential oils, and a luxurious feel on the skin. To develop each of our products, we tapped into our ancestors and the known benefits of amazing essential oils. We incorporated our generational family secrets that incorporated the use of natural ingredients to develop I+I healthy skincare products.”

Kelati says she draws inspiration for her products from the natural remedies and herbs used by her own family in their daily routines. She learned about the benefits of different medicinal plants and oils and makes sure to use them in her products without the use of harsh chemicals. “Every ingredient is meticulously researched—and that includes how and where it is sourced. Our ingredients are organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free. We do not allow the use of any toxins, harmful chemicals, artificial dyes or fragrances in our products,” says Kelati. 

“We believe in transparency, so the quality of our ingredients and the reputation of our suppliers were extremely high on our list…Each of our products is infused with lab-tested and American grown hemp-derived CBD…Through our products, we are encouraging positivity and self-love. Self-care is a necessity and not simply a luxury.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 28, 2020

Oprah Winfrey’s ‘O’ Magazine Will Print Last Monthly Issue in December

Oprah Winfrey‘s “O, The Oprah Magazine” will discontinue its monthly print version at the end of the year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The monthly magazine will stop printing after its December 2020 issue but will remain online as it intends to become “more digitally centric.”

Winfrey says in a statement, “I’m proud of this team and what we have delivered to our readers over the past 20 years. I look forward to the next step in our evolution.” The publication, which lists Winfrey as the editorial director, launched with Hearst back in 2000.

“As the brand celebrates twenty years of O, The Oprah Magazine, we’re thinking about what’s next, but again the partnership and the brand are not going away,” a rep said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “This is a natural next step for the brand, which has grown to an online audience of 8 million, extending its voice and vision with video and social content. We will continue to invest in this platform as the brand grows and evolves into one that is more digitally centric.”

“Twenty years ago, O, The Oprah Magazine launched as a personal growth guide to help women live their best lives,” said Lucy Kaylin, editor in chief of O, The Oprah Magazine. “As we embark on this next chapter, we will lean into moments that are central to the brand’s DNA and deepen the connection with our loyal readers.”

Kristen O’Hara, the chief business officer of Hearst Magazines, added that the company is “honored to be working with Oprah and her team to reimagine the future.”

The news comes after it was reported that Winfrey is starting a new series on Apple TV+ The Oprah Conversation.

by Derek Major

July 28, 2020

A Record Number Of Black Women Are Running For Congress

A record number of Black women have thrown their hats into politics and are running for Congress, in what has become an increasing trend.

According to Reuters, at least 122 Black or multi-racial women have filed to run for congressional seats in this year’s election. That number has risen significantly from 48 in 2012, the Center for American Women and Politics said.

Almost 60 of those women are still in the running as the primary season draws to a close.

“People are becoming more comfortable with seeing different kinds of people in Congress. You don’t know what it looks like to have powerful Black women in Congress until you see powerful Black women in Congress,” Pam Keith, a Navy veteran and attorney also running told Reuters.

The Center for Women and Politics and Higher Heights for America, released a report showing Black women only make up 8% of the U.S. population but 4.3% of Congress.

Despite the low number of representation, Black women make up the highest participation rate of any group voting in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Black women who have run for office typically win majority-Black districts, however, many running in this cycle are in majority-white or mixed districts, including some who have voted for Republicans in the past.

“We’re going to flip this seat from red to blue,” North Carolina’s Patricia Timmons-Goodson, the first Black judge to serve on the state Supreme Court and a former member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission told Reuters. “We have a candidate that knows and understands the district and its people.”

Reuters talked to eight black women who are congressional candidates and believe they can relate to voters better than their often wealthier opponents, because they, too, have lived through financial hardships. The coronavirus crisis has also helped some candidates as its highlighted some of the issues they’re running on, including improving healthcare, creating better jobs, improving access to broadband internet.

“It really has just amplified and co-signed what I was already talking about with voters,” such as the importance of agriculture and expanding Medicaid, Alabama’s Adia McClellan-Winfrey, a psychologist and chair of the Talladega County Democratic Party said.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is considering several Black woman for his vice president including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Biden’s campaign manager Karine Jean-Pierre is also a Black woman.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 28, 2020

Brooklyn Nets’ Kyrie Irving Commits $1.5 Million for WNBA Players Who Skip The 2020 Season

Brooklyn Nets player Kyrie Irving, who has been an outspoken critic of the NBA restarting its current season amid the racial injustice and Black Lives Matter Movement, is putting his money where his mouth is. The point guard is committing $1.5 million to WNBA players who choose not to play this current season of basketball due to fear of the coronavirus and/or social justice reasons, according to NBA.com.

Irving has launched The KAI Empowerment Initiative, which is designed for WNBA players, according to its website.

“The KAI Empowerment Initiative is designed to provide financial support for individual players in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) who are active but will not play in the 2020 WNBA season due to personal, professional, health, and/or safety-related reasons. The KAI Empowerment Initiative is fully funded by Kyrie Irving who has committed $1.5 million to these efforts. In addition, the program will give all WNBA players access to a comprehensive financial literacy program provided by UBS.”

WNBA players like Washington Mystic’s Natasha Cloud, Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd, and Atlanta Dream’s Renee Montgomery have decided against playing due to social reform reasons.

Irving said that with the assistance of Cloud and Loyd, he connected with several other WNBA players who spoke to him about the challenges they faced in making a decision on whether to play. The season just started on Saturday and is being played entirely at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Irving decided to help with the financial burden in a league where the top annual salary is a little more than $200,000.

“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving said in a statement.

The general requirements to receive assistance are, according to the website:

(01) Must be an active WNBA player who has opted out of the 2020 WNBA season

(02) Must share insight into circumstances surrounding reason to opt-out

(03) CANNOT receive support for salary from any other entity or organization

(04) Medical opt-out considerations must be connected to the COVID-19 pandemic

Players who are interested in receiving financial support must submit all necessary documentation by Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at 5:00 PM ET. Recipients will be notified on August 24, 2020.

by Dana Givens

July 28, 2020

Tina Knowles-Lawson Teams Up With African Pride to Launch New Voting Initiative

Many celebrities are using their platforms to encourage people around the country to vote in local elections. This week, Tina Knowles-Lawson announced she would be working with haircare brand African Pride and Still I Vote to create a new voting initiative to increase Black voter turnout.

“I mentor kids, Tina’s Angels and Richard’s Warriors, and we had this big call with all the kids. I just wanted to check in with them to see how the death of Mr. Floyd and everything that was going on with this pandemic [was affecting them],” said the mother of Beyonce Knowles-Carter to Essence.

“And I just saw so much hopelessness, many tears, and many feelings that no matter what they do or what their families do, whether they voted or whatever they did, was not going to make a difference and things were going to remain the same.”

The five-month campaign that will run through Election Day in November. Knowles-Lawson also unveiled that she will be hosting a new Instagram Live series titled Talks With Mama Tina to promote voter rights and sharing key statistics. “I really have a lot of appreciation that African Pride wanted to do something and that they went about finding a project that they could lend their voice to,” she explained.

“Every product company, every business, especially the ones that are in the Black community or that appeal to the Black community, they should do their part. [African Pride] stepped up, and they wanted to do something and they wanted to make a difference. A lot of companies just take and when it’s time to give back, you don’t hear from them. So I really applaud them in this effort to team up with us, and I look forward to a good relationship with them.”

Hundreds Party And Protest Outside Chicago Mayor’s Home After She OK’s Federal Troops
by Derek Major

July 28, 2020

Hundreds Party And Protest Outside Chicago Mayor’s Home After She OK’s Federal Troops

Hundreds of protesters gathered outside of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s home last Thursday in Logan Square to protest the mayor allowing federal agents in the city.

According to NewsOne, protesters gathered outside of Mayor Lightfoot’s home demanding she defund the Chicago Police Department. Protesters also wanted justice for Miracle Boyd, an 18-year-old activist who was allegedly punched by a Chicago police officer last week as demonstrators and cops clashed in Grant Park.

Additionally, people on social media shared videos of the protesters dancing to rapper Y.G.’s song FDT, which stands for f–k Donald Trump.

Protesters also expressed their anger at Lightfoot for backing down to President Trump and allowing him to send federal troops into the city in an attempt to curb the gun violence in Chicago.

According to The Chicago Tribune, when Trump first said he would send federal troops to Chicago, Lightfoot threatened to sue, however, she changed her tone days later acknowledging that the city would work with federal agents to fight crime. Lightfoot changed her mind after she spoke with U.S. Attorney John Lausch, a former colleague who assured Lightfoot an influx of law enforcement would work “collaboratively” with Chicago police against crime.

Lightfoot said in a press briefing the Windy City will receive resources that will connect with already existing federal agencies working with the city, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

However, she added that they will have a short leash.

“I sent a letter to the president yesterday outlining various ways in which, if he really wanted to partner with us, that he could do so. There are some things the federal government is uniquely qualified to handle. We would welcome that,” Lightfoot said. “What we do not welcome, and what we will not tolerate, and we will fight against is the deployment of unnamed federal special secret agents onto our streets to detain people without cause and effectively take away their civil rights and their civil liberties without due process. That is not going to happen in Chicago, and if we see that, the minute we see it, we will be rushing into court to stop that from happening.”

Black Armed Protesters March in Kentucky to Demand Justice For Breonna Taylor
by Derek Major

July 28, 2020

Black Armed Protesters March in Kentucky to Demand Justice For Breonna Taylor

A group of heavily armed Black protesters marched through the streets of Kentucky Saturday afternoon, demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.

According to Reuters, a large group of protesters carrying assault rifles, shotguns, and dressed in black paramilitary gear walked in formation to a fenced-off intersection where they were separated by police from a smaller group of armed counter-protesters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNE_u8_fWLM

The group, called the NFAC, is demanding justice for EMT worker Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her bedroom when four cops entered her home without identifying themselves and opened fire.


The police entered Taylor’s home with a no-knock warrant as part of a drug investigation. However,  the person police were looking for was already in custody and didn’t live at the residence. One cop has since been fired, but none of the officers involved have been charged five months after the incident.

John “Grandmaster Jay” Johnson, the leader of the NFAC, said the group’s march was an effort to push officials to speed up the investigation and to make it more transparent.

“If you don’t tell us nothing we going to think you ain’t doing nothing,” Johnson said in a speech, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The group also participated in a march on July 4 at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia demanding the removal of the giant Confederate rock carving that civil rights activists consider a monument to racism.

Taylor’s death became a story again after the death of George Floyd. The two have become a symbol in the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Their deaths have led to nationwide protests and put a new light on police brutality.

In the aftermath of Floyd and Taylor’s deaths, several cities have begun to pull funds from police budgets and diverted them to social causes such as drug addiction and homelessness. Although the protest Saturday was peaceful, three members of the group were hospitalized when a gun was accidentally discharged.

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