How Working Out Helped This Entrepreneur Survive Unthinkable Tragedy
by Caprice O'Bryant

July 25, 2020

How Working Out Helped This Entrepreneur Survive Unthinkable Tragedy

For Caprice O’Bryant, the journey to entrepreneurship was littered with real-life bumps in the road. Here, the fitness founder shares—in her own words—how working out helped her recover from two car accidents that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and retrograde amnesia, and how working out can give all entrepreneurs the focus they need to overcome challenges like the coronavirus pandemic:  

To say there have been challenges as an entrepreneur in this time is an understatement. There have been days where it has felt like I was on American Ninja Warrior trying to leap over certain obstacles in my business! However, I am no stranger to overcoming obstacles.

As a brain injury survivor, epilepsy warrior, and being graced to make it through two major car accidents, I just know that I am built for this! I will win even in the uncertainty of this crisis because I have trained myself to get back up even when life has grabbed the rug from underneath my feet.

I’d love to share how working out has helped me stay focused and have a winner’s mindset to overcome challenges during this pandemic!

We all know that entrepreneurship isn’t pretty or for punks. When you add a chronic illness or condition to that the first word I think of is focus! I can focus on what I can’t do or I can focus on what I can do!

In 2007 and 2010, God chose me to fight and win these battles with car accidents. The first accident, we went head-on into a tree, the roof caved into my head, and I was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. The second accident led to a three-car collision and we went head-on into a pick up truck; from there I started having seizures, which was later diagnosed as epilepsy.

My focus became to recover. Through a long road with physical therapy I stayed focused on what I could do, not what I couldn’t. Then in 2012, I went on to have a seizure in college that wiped my memory, leaving me with retrograde amnesia: meaning I do not remember the first nineteen years of my life. In the blink of an eye everything changed. Just like that second weekend in March right? When all of sudden we’re quarantined and everything is closed? I didn’t have time to tell people to write things down just in case I had a seizure and hit my head and didn’t remember anything!

After I lost my memory, I was confused, angry, and depressed. I started working out and it was like you couldn’t tell me anything!! I felt powerful. Like my life had purpose. Yes, I was still having seizures but I could exercise so I kept my focus there and celebrated it. Everyone is dealt a certain hand in life. I had to look at my cards every day and decide that I am going to win regardless!

I’m sure we’d like to give COVID-19 back for some different cards.

But let’s get into these workouts so you can fix your focus!!

Of course the trainer is advocating for exercise, but seriously it’s more than that. Exercise boosts your brainpower, mental dexterity, and productivity. So many entrepreneurs are still trying to perfect their pivot right now. The first key is to take care of you. If there is no you, there is no business and no customer to serve. Everything we do begins with our physical body. And when I do not take the time to shut things down and get my minimum 30 minutes in, my business suffers.

Start with the basics that boost your mood: walking, squats, planks, lunges, high knees, step-ups, etc. When we are well rested and energized we can show up as our authentic self and look at problems like a boss. When you are not panicking, you can move in clarity not chaos.

The mindset of a winner is that by any means necessary you are going to do what it takes to fulfill your mission! But what this does not mean is draining yourself in the process. I choose to operate in a “holy hustle.” I no longer subscribe to the sun up, sun down mentality as a business owner. Know that you can slow down, but you cannot quit! I apply this to my health, my workouts, and my life as an entrepreneur!

We are all in this together and collectively trying to figure this out. I believe that I will win with the hand that I am dealt! So will YOU! Even now, in the middle of a pandemic!

Caprice O’Bryant is the founder of Excuse Free Fitness, an online fitness company that provides virtual classes, training, and online programs with nutrition coaching to ensure that nothing gets in the way of wellness! Follow them on Instagram at @excusefreefitness_

 

Barack and Michelle Obama to Discuss Love, Community, and COVID on the Series Premiere of ‘The Michelle Obama Podcast’
by Selena Hill

July 24, 2020

Barack and Michelle Obama to Discuss Love, Community, and COVID on the Series Premiere of ‘The Michelle Obama Podcast’

Michelle Obama is kicking off her new podcast with an intimate conversation with former President Barak Obama.

Spotify and the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground Productions announced Friday that the first Black Commander-in-Chief will be the first featured guest on The Michelle Obama Podcast. According to a press release, the couple will give listeners an inside look into their lives since leaving the White House. They will also discuss community, the power of love in relationships, and how they’ve adjusted to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“Like most Americans, we’ve been spending a lot of time together in quarantine,” Michelle says in the episode, according to Variety. “You don’t seem too happy about that,” Barack responds before admitting, “I’ve been loving it.”

Michelle replies, “Yeah, I’ve been having a great time. But we’ve had some interesting conversations… because these are some crazy times.”

The Michelle Obama Podcast
(Image: Spotify)

Subsequent episodes will feature Washington Post columnist Michele Norris on “self in the time of COVID,” Conan O’Brien on marriage, and Dr. Sharon Malone, the wife of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, discussing women’s health. Both Michelle’s older brother, Craig Robinson, and her mother, Marian Robinson, will also make appearances on The Michelle Obama Podcast in addition to her friends Malone, Kelly Dibble, and Denielle Pemberton-Heard. In an episode about mentorship, Michelle will speak with Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to President Obama.

“For eight years my life was full of crazy schedules, juggling big initiatives, speeches, state dinners. Not to mention trying to raise two daughters and keeping my head above water,” Michelle says in the debut episode.

“But once Barack’s second term ended, the presidency was over and finally had some time to breathe. So for a few months — the first year really — I spent a lot of time thinking, talking with friends and family. Really just being if you know what I mean. I reflected back on my time in the White House of course, but I went even deeper. I looked back at the whole arc of my life and I uncovered all sorts of memories, all these tiny little moments and stories that the gift of hindsight had filled with new meaning.”

She added that her hope for the podcast is to create a space “to explore big topics together… to sort through the questions that we’re all trying to answer… to open up, and be a little vulnerable, and have some fun along the way.”

 

Boston Red Sox Put Up Black Lives Matter Billboard Over Massachusetts Turnpike
by Derek Major

July 24, 2020

Boston Red Sox Put Up Black Lives Matter Billboard Over Massachusetts Turnpike

The Boston Red Sox are showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, placing a 254-foot billboard with the phrase running alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The Red Sox were the last team to sign a Black player after Jackie Robinson desegregated the league. Now according to CNN, it’s trying to set an example in a time of social justice.

“Recognizing that we have work to do ourselves, we wanted to show that we stand with those who are working to achieve racial equity,” Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran told CNN in a statement. “The billboard is operated by the Red Sox Foundation and one of the ways we plan to feature the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the baseball season as a way to amplify the voices of those who share our values, but may not share our platform.”

The Red Sox Foundation also features a June statement from president and CEO Sam Kennedy, condemning the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, calling them “stark reminders that racism and police brutality continue to be pervasive in America.”

The foundation also tweeted that as part of its “commitment to amplify social justice,” it put together a resource guide “outlining educational materials and recommended ways to help.”

Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said players were told they can express themselves as they wish, which includes kneeling during the national anthem during the season.

“We haven’t told players you have to do anything,” Roenicke told reporters in a press conference. “We’ve given them the rights, which is what this country is all about, and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about. So we have said what we think and what we’d like them to do, but we also want to give them the opportunity to express themselves.”

The Red Sox began their season today, hosting the Baltimore Orioles.

Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade Announce Support Fund For Black Community
by Dana Givens

July 24, 2020

Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade Announce Support Fund For Black Community

On the heels of the protests over racial injustice and police brutality, many public figures and corporations have been pressured by the general public to speak out and use their platforms to advance social change. In the past, many athletes have taken a stand for social justice issues. This week, NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade have partnered to create a new fund to support the Black community.

The new Social Change Fund created by the three athletes will be used to address issues affecting the Black community including criminal justice reform, civic engagement, housing, and economic inequality. The men also announced that they will be working on projects outside of the fund in partnership with other companies including the CAA, Goldman Sachs, Laureus Sport for Good USA, and Beyond Meat to fund the new project.

“Our mission is to address social and economic justice issues facing Black communities and break down the discriminatory barriers to success,” said Paul in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “The Social Change Fund will help advance racial equality and opportunity.”

“The magnitude of racial inequality is staggering with Black lives socially, politically, and economically marginalized,” Wade said to the Hollywood Reporter. “We are committed to supporting organizations that directly represent and benefit the Black community with the Social Change Fund. Our goal is to create a pathway for inclusion and success by deploying the necessary funds and resources to invest in long-term change.”

 

by Selena Hill

July 24, 2020

Robert E. Lee High School in Virginia Renamed After the Late Rep. John Lewis

Virginia’s largest school system is renaming the Robert E. Lee High School after the Hon. Congressman John Lewis, who died July 17 after decades of fighting for freedom.

The Fairfax County School Board in Springfield, Virginia, voted Thursday to officially rename the school after the iconic civil rights leader. The new name, John R. Lewis High School, goes into effect in the fall.

“Rep. Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement, and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero,” said School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson in a statement. “We will also honor his life’s work by continuing to promote equity, justice, tolerance and service in the work that we do.”

Lee District School Board member Tamara Derenak Kaufax proposed a resolution to remove the Confederate general’s name from the school back in February, reports USA Today.

“The name Robert E. Lee is forever connected to the Confederacy, and Confederate values are ones that do not align with our community,” she said in the news release. “I believe that John Lewis’ extraordinary life and advocacy for racial justice will serve as an inspiration to our students and community for generations to come.”

Born the son of Alabama sharecroppers, Lewis served in Congress for more than three decades, starting in 1986, where he championed legislation to combat segregation, discrimination, and injustice. His fight for racial justice began in Georgia in the 1960s. At 23, Lewis was the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He was also the last living speaker from the monumental event. Lewis is also noted for leading the march in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965, which led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Lewis represented Georgia and remained committed to both civil service and equality until the end of his life. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor, in 2011.

The longtime lawmaker was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December. He died at the age of 80. Funeral services for Lewis are set for July 30 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

by Derek Major

July 24, 2020

MLB Players Take A Knee on Opening Day To Show Black Lives Matter

Major League Baseball had its opening day Thursday, after being delayed for four months, and players were quick to take a knee to express Black Lives Matter.

According to Yahoo Sports, in a coordinated gesture between the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees, players clutched a black cloth that winded from the Nationals’ first baseline around to the Yankees on the third baseline.

Then, before a pre-recorded rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, every player and coach out for pregame introductions took a knee on the grass, for about 20 seconds.

Many Yankees players wore shirts saying Black Lives Matter during pregame warm-ups as well. Just a year ago both actions would have received significant criticism. When Oakland Athletics outfielder Bruce Maxwell took a knee before a game in 2017 supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, he received backlash.

However, in the aftermath of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, things have changed.

Before the game, Morgan Freeman narrated a video played on the Jumbotron in connection with the Players Alliance, a group of MLB players working to elevate racial equality and provide greater opportunities for the Black community.

“In order to achieve effective change and create a new canvas of optimism, empathy must lead the charge. This moment signifies our charge. Our brotherhood. Our unity. Equality and unity cannot be until there is empathy,” Freeman said in the video.

The video was also played before the start of the game played between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants.

“To have everyone kneel at the same time, it was to give hope to any overall reason you want to do it,” said Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton after the Yankees’ 4-1 victory. “For me, it’s for the racial injustice and Black lives in general. And a lot of other things going on. We all have individual reasons to do so.

“I believe with everything we did beforehand, wearing the Black Lives Matter T-shirts, the patches, and the unity ceremony before, that’s what was decided.”

Other pro sports leagues are supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement including the NBA, which displayed Black Lives Matter on the court that will be used for games in the playoffs that begin next month.

 

by Dana Givens

July 24, 2020

Michael B. Jordan Partners With Color Of Change To Launch #ChangeHollywood Initiative

Diversity in Hollywood has been the hot topic of conversation for some time now after the #OscarsSoWhite campaign. Now actor-producer Michael B. Jordan has teamed up with the nation’s largest online racial justice advocacy group, Color of Change, to create a new initiative aimed at diversifying Hollywood talent and offering marginalized creators to have more control of their stories.

The pair announced this week that they have partnered to launch the #ChangeHollywood initiative to petition leaders in various parts of the industry to invest more in Black talent and support Black communities. The project includes providing leadership recommendations and resources to implement that change. Back in 2018, Jordan announced that his production company, Outlier Society, would be including an inclusion rider on all projects to increase diversity and inclusivity.

“We are all accomplices in the fight to transform Hollywood, and we invite content creators and industry leaders to join us in working together to #ChangeHollywood,” Jordan told the Hollywood Reporter. “We look forward to including a variety of voices in doing what we do best: telling authentic stories, bringing people together, partnering with influential artists, and changing the rules of the game.”

“The legacy of racism in Hollywood is long and unforgivable: excluding Black talent, silencing Black voices, derailing Black careers, and using the economic power of the industry to prop up police who target and enact violence on Black communities,” said Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, to the Hollywood Reporter.

“We know from our advocacy that the industry won’t change on its own, so we’re building off our current work to hold Hollywood accountable to provide a roadmap to enacting racial justice. From the writers rooms to the streets, we are energized and ready to help Hollywood follow through on their statements that Black lives matter.”

Michigan Judge Denies Release of 15-Year-Old Black Girl Sent to Juvenile Detention For Not Doing Online Homework
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 24, 2020

Michigan Judge Denies Release of 15-Year-Old Black Girl Sent to Juvenile Detention For Not Doing Online Homework

A Michigan judge who sentenced a 15-year-old Black teenage girl to a juvenile detention center during the coronavirus pandemic has denied the girl’s release to go back home to her mother, according to NBC News. It was originally reported that the girl was detained for not completing her online homework, however, the family court judge says that’s not the case.

The 15-year-old girl, identified by her middle name, Grace, who has been incarcerated in Michigan since mid-May, won’t be returning home. Oakland County Judge Mary Ellen Brennan decided earlier this week that the girl has been benefiting from a residential treatment program at a juvenile detention center. She also stated the girl is not yet ready to be with her mother. Brennan, the presiding judge of the court’s Family Division, has scheduled another hearing for September.

During a three-hour proceeding this past Monday, Brennan told Grace that it was in her best interest to stay in the program due to all of the progress she had been making.

“Give yourself a chance to follow through and finish something,” Brennan said, according to the Detroit News. “The right thing is for you and your mom to be separated for right now.”

Grace expressed to the judge that she wanted to go home: “I miss my mom. I can control myself. I can be obedient.”

The Black teenager has been in custody at the Children’s Village juvenile detention center in the Detroit area since May. The young girl, Grace, reportedly has ADHD and was having difficulty keeping up with the online schoolwork. She, along with many students across America, was following a stay-at-home directive instituted by the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the hearing, Brennan stated that police had been called to respond to incidents between the mother and daughter three times and that Grace’s detainment came out of violating probation related to charges of assault and theft from last year, ProPublica reported.

“She was not detained because she didn’t turn her homework in,” Brennan said. “She was detained because I found her to be a threat of harm to her mother based on everything I knew.”

“My role is to make decisions that are in this young lady’s best interest, period,” Brennan said. “I took an oath that I would not be swayed by public clamor or fear of criticism.”

20-Year-Old Texas Woman Found Hanging in Garage of White Roommate
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 24, 2020

20-Year-Old Texas Woman Found Hanging in Garage of White Roommate

A young Black girl was found hanging dead in the garage of her white roommate and the police department has ruled it a suicide, yet, friends and family speculate otherwise, according to Heavy.

The McKinney Police Department has declared the death of 20-year-old Gloria Bambo, a McKinney, Texas, resident, a suicide after she was found dead in the garage on July 12.


Facebook user Jamilla Arnold posted this statement on her page:

“Gloria Bambo, a South African citizen, and a resident of McKinney, Texas was found hung inside her garage. Gloria resided with her roommate, a white male who found her in the garage Sunday July 12, 2020. Gloria went missing Thursday and supposedly died in that garage the same day July 9. Gloria’s body was in that garage 3 days, where people resided, and repairs were made. No one has heard anything about this Why? We need to know what happened to Gloria?”

The McKinney Police Department posted a statement on its Facebook page refuting the speculation that Bambo didn’t commit suicide.

“The McKinney Police Department typically does not comment on suicides, including naming the deceased, but due to the public nature of this case we feel the need to clarify some inaccuracies.

“A number of posts on social media have speculated about the death of Gloria Bambo, a 20-year-old Black female. Ms. Bambo’s body was discovered by her 19-year-old male housemate who has fully cooperated during the investigation. All evidence in the case so far leads investigators to believe it was suicide. The Medical Examiner’s findings are still pending but the preliminary examination of the body has not uncovered any evidence to contradict what was discovered at the residence.

“This case is still under investigation and is not closed at this time. We are committed to a complete, thorough investigation of Ms. Bambo’s tragic death and we grieve the tragic loss of this promising, young life.”

The local NAACP chapter states they are looking forward to the results of the autopsy.

LeBron James’ Nonprofit To Open Housing For Disadvantaged Families
by Dana Givens

July 24, 2020

LeBron James’ Nonprofit To Open Housing For Disadvantaged Families

LeBron James has become an NBA legend with his amazing track record in the league but off the court, he is more focused on giving back to his home community of Akron, Ohio. This week, the NBA superstar’s nonprofit previewed its newly refurbished building that has been converted into transitional housing for underserved families called the I PROMISE Village.

Cleveland WKYC reported that the housing will be open to families struggling with homelessness in addition to those dealing with issues surrounding domestic violence and other challenges. The building is conveniently located by the I PROMISE campus to provide families a safe housing option that wouldn’t take children too far from their school. The new facility also offers residents financial literacy, cooking, home repair, and other skill workshops. Families will receive free meals several nights a week and enjoy amenities including a laundry room, study space, and a community garden where families can learn how to grow their own fruits and vegetables.

“Being able to offer this safe haven for our families is transformational in every sense of the word,” Michele Campbell, executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, said when construction first started according to Oceanpop. “This is about more than just getting kids to school. This is about keeping them alive. We’re seeing families struggling every day with very real and oftentimes unexpected issues that turn their worlds upside down. This will allow the family time and opportunities to grow while not worrying if they’ll have a roof over their heads.”

 

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