by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 15, 2020

Cicero Leak Prepares to Guide Athletes at HBCUs to the Professional Level

When you’ve represented the likes of Shark Tank’s Daymond John, SiriusXM’s Sway Calloway, Fonzworth Bentley, Grammy Award Winner Fantasia Barrino, and V-103’s Big Tigger, it’s safe to bet that you can successfully wade through the waters of the entertainment industry. Understanding the wave of that industry, Cicero Leak has decided to throw his oars into the sports sea with the announcement of TLS Sports, a division under TLS Talent Agency.

Leak speaks to BLACK ENTERPRISE about his decision to take on the sports world with a focus on athletes that attend HBCUs and how the coronavirus has impacted his company.

You’ve recently launched a sports division at TLS Talent Agency. What prompted you to make that move and what are your immediate plans?

We launched sports division TLS Sports to focus on helping athletes that attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) get their shot at becoming professional athletes. So many athletes that attend these schools are overlooked and we want to level the playing field. The launch of TLS Sports will also help provide those who attend HBCUs an opportunity to get into the business as well, helping further the next generation.

Outside of the obvious that the company will be sports-related, how will it differ from the talent side of TLS?

The new division will operate separately from the rest of the agency and will be under the leadership of our Managing Director Chuck Stinson (graduate of Morehouse College). Our goal is to approach the sports agency business in a different way because the athletes can relate to us in a different way. Our services will include negotiating contracts and endorsement deals for our clients.

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the way you currently do business and how do you predict you will operate going forward?

We have been working the phones more than ever since the pandemic hit. But it has leveled the playing field a bit for us that have to compete with the big agencies. We all have to communicate the same way right now so we can be more effective when we are making things happen for our clients. Not being located in one of the major cities like L.A., New York, or Atlanta hasn’t stopped us from getting things done during this time.

You’ve been doing this for several years now, how has your approach to doing business changed from when you first launched?

The biggest change in how we do business now is taking advantage of the relationships we have. It took us years to grow and build those strong relationships. When starting out sometimes you can be too timid because you are so afraid of failing but eventually, you have to get over those fears and make things happen. So now our approach is more aggressive and really going after the right opportunities for our clients.

What do you advise to people who are curious about entering this industry and what would you suggest that they do in order to have longevity in the game?

My advice to those wanting to get into the entertainment or sports representation business is to first do your research and make sure this is something you actually want to do. Then you have to know you are not going to be successful overnight, it will take a lot of long hours and years to grow in this business. You have people that you represent that depend on you to do what you say you are going to do so following through with those promises is important. The key is to never give up and stay consistent to have longevity in the game.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 15, 2020

Communications Specialist Molaundo Jones Is Using Clever Ways to Help Creativity Thrive

The Clever Agency is a communications and content creation consultancy that was co-founded by creative stalwart Molaundo Jones. Persistence and creativity helped build the agency and continues to be the hallmark. Having utilized the constant change and development of artistry and emerging evolution, Jones’ forward-thinking ideas keep him abreast of the use of modern technology.

BLACK ENTERPRISE talked to Jones about how he does business and how hardships actually help his business thrive.

BE: What is The Clever Agency?

Jones: The Clever Agency is a branding, communications, and content creation studio. We’ve been around since 2012 and have expanded from primarily doing client-based work to lifestyle marketing, product design, and original content production. We produce tons of video and digital media. When people work with the Clever Agency they can expect to have a good time and to collaborate with a nimble, diverse, and creative crew with integrity. 

What is your philosophy when it comes to taking care of business?

My philosophy is creating solid systems of communication between my team and with our clients and partners. I’ve learned that the more clear people can be on process, expectations, and deliverables, the happier everyone will be on the other side of any project.

How has your approach to working within the entertainment industry changed?

The Clever Agency has shifted a bit to focus on deepening the relationships that we have with the artists and companies that we’ve already worked with. New business development is key to our growth and sustainability. But it takes a lot to develop a sort of symbiotic relationship with artists and companies where you understand their processes, their value systems, and what makes them tick. I’ve learned to highly prioritize the creation of space and time to develop a deep understanding of a company or artist’s brand and mission while maintaining our own integrity and core values.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned since starting The Clever Agency?

You have to be able to pivot and adapt to realities on the ground in order to survive as a business owner. The more married that you are to one idea or way of doing things, the more difficult it will be to become sustainable and to bounce back from hardship and losses.

Are you involved with other companies? How do you juggle the priorities of what you do?

I’m a visual artist and have the opportunity to combine my natural artistic compulsions with my business experience and entrepreneurial spirit in many interesting ways. This has allowed me to work with many NYC-based arts institutions including Queens Council on the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, the Museum of Art and Design, and Fractured Atlas.

What advice would you give someone who wants to sustain relevance in the entertainment/creative industry?

The Clever Agency
The Clever Agency team

I believe that you can sustain relevance in the creative industry by being consistent, remaining grounded in authenticity, and by not giving up when the hard times come (because the hard times are inevitable).

Is there any trend or idea you see emerging soon?

I think the impact of COVID-19 has pushed creatives to think about the ways that technology can be used to get their work out there and how to, quite frankly, survive when your work is usually dependent on being physically present with others. I also think it’s still just the beginning of the evolution of smart technology, voice marketing, and artificial intelligence in marketing and sales and that most creatives have barely scratched the surfaces of their uses.

How have hardships helped your business grow?

Hardship has pushed the Clever Agency into making countless uncomfortable decisions over the years. But many of those moments have actually allowed us to venture into new business sectors and ways of doing the work that we enjoy. The best example that I can give was the move that we made from where Clever began in Bed-Stuy (Brooklyn) eight years ago to Jersey City. It wasn’t an easy decision considering how grounded we were in that specific community as a team. But that move allowed us to grow from working out of my apartment and a few co-working spaces into our own brick-and-mortar storefront studio in a community that reflects many of our values that I would argue are much harder to find in our old neighborhood these days. You can see some of our studio work at VeryCleverStudios.com.

What are your future plans?

While it’s hard to project what will happen considering the precariousness of the times, I envision the Clever Agency’s expansion into commercial real estate with a focus on developing more spaces for creative professionals. I’ve learned that if we as artists don’t make an effort to center ourselves in that space, we will always be worrying about the rent being “too damn high.” Clever is also looking to expand our original content creation into more formats including interviews and short film.

by Dana Givens

June 14, 2020

Meet The Man Behind Japan’s First Major Black-Owned Anime Studio

Japanese animation has influenced an entire generation of adults from a string of highly successful shows that made their way to the United States starting in the late ’90s. This has led many to pursue an interest in a career in the animation field, which has sparked a conversation around diversity among animators. For these brothers, it led to an opportunity to create their own anime studio in Japan.

Arthell Isom and his twin brother, Darnell Isom, are the co-founders of D’ART Shtajio, a 2-D animation studio located in Tokyo, established in 2016 with animator Henry Thurlow. The three started the company to create Japanese anime infused with American culture.


Prior to starting his studio, Arthell worked with animation studio Ogura Kobo as a background animator on highly acclaimed shows like Bleach, Black Butler, and Naruto. He credits working with his mentor Hiromasa Ogura, best known as the background animator on Ninja Scroll and Ghost in the Shell, for helping him shape his career after spending 12 years working alongside him in Japan. Arthell also studied art history in Italy in addition to attending art schools in San Francisco and Osaka, which greatly influenced his art and love of Japanese anime.

“I watched Ghost in the Shell every day for a year,” said Isom in an interview with Japan Times. “I didn’t even know why I liked it until a teacher asked me to focus on that question. That’s when I discovered that I liked the backgrounds and the way the animation moved through them.”

As reported by the Japan Times, roughly 5% of workers in the field are of non-Japanese descent although there are no formal statistics published, according to Tadashi Sudo, the former CEO of Anime! Anime!. Isom says he feels confident about the road saying there is a growing demand for diverse creators.

“The great thing is with us being here, Black creators seek us out,” said Isom in another interview with SyFy Wire.“It’s a great opportunity to work with them. We’ve worked with quite a few like independent manga creators with projects like Tephlon Funk and XOGENASYS; we get the opportunity to then tell more Black stories. These are storytellers who want to see their story adapted to anime form.”

by Dana Givens

June 14, 2020

The American Black Film Festival Is Going Virtual For Its 2020 Participants

Due the closures brought on by COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, pandemic, many major events have been forced to cancel or postpone until next year. Others have decided to experiment with a different route and develop virtual events as a way to still interact with their consumer base.

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) was started 1997 as a way to strengthen the black entertainment community and provide a platform for emerging artists often ignored on mainstream platforms. The film festival is usually held in Miami Beach, Florida, and typically attracts 7,000 to 10,000 attendees. Now it is going virtual for a free event open to all.

It was announced this week that the 24th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will take place online August 21-30, 2020. The online show will continue all of the traditions of the live festival while highlighting the best independent filmmakers out today in addition to conversations and panels surrounding different topics in film as well as virtual networking events.

“While we will surely miss being with our ABFF community in Miami Beach this year and connecting in person, what truly binds us together is our shared commitment to ensure inclusion in Hollywood and sustaining a place of inspiration for diverse storytellers. We will persevere through this year and end up a stronger community on the other side of this crisis.” said ABFF Ventures CEO Jeff Friday in a press statement.

In the meantime, the organization will be using its platform to promote social change in response to the recent protests and deaths of several unarmed black civilians at the hands of police officers including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and call for an end to racial injustice in the U.S.

 

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REMEMBERING GEORGE FLOYD #icantbreathe 🙏🏾

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New York City Council Pushes for $1 Billion Cut From NYPD Budget
by Selena Hill

June 13, 2020

New York City Council Pushes for $1 Billion Cut From NYPD Budget

In wake of nationwide protests against police brutality and calls to defund the police, the New York City Council is pushing to slash $1 billion from the New York Police Department (NYPD).

The council released a proposal Friday calling to cut spending from the NYPD in the fiscal 2021 budget. In a statement, the council acknowledged that the “unprecedented” cut would be an “ambitious goal.”

“We believe that we can and should work to get to $1 billion in cuts to New York City’s police spending in the Fiscal 2021 budget, an unprecedented reduction that would not only limit the scope of the NYPD, but also show our commitment towards moving away from the failed policing policies of the past,” reads the statement.

“There is no doubt that this is an ambitious goal, but it is one that the time we are in calls for–both here in New York City and nationwide.”

The statement also identifies areas where the budget could be cut, which includes reducing uniform headcount, cutting overtime, and shifting responsibilities away from the NYPD. That money would then be redirected towards community initiatives.

“As we do this, we must prioritize the most impacted communities and hear their demands and needs across all areas during this budget process,” reads the statement.

According to CBS New York, the Police Benevolent Association criticized the move, saying: “For decades, every time a city agency failed at its task, the city’s answer was to take the job away and give it to the NYPD. If the City Council wants to give responsibilities back to those failing agencies, that’s their choice. But they will bear the blame for every new victim, for every New Yorker in need of help who falls through the cracks. They won’t be able to throw cops under the bus anymore.”

The move comes as protesters continue to flood the streets, demanding police reform following the death of George Floyd by the hands of Minneapolis police. In response, the city councils in Minneapolis and San Francisco are also pushing to slash police budgets.

 

You About to Lose Your Job: TV Stars Learn the Hard Way That Racism Doesn’t Pay
by Alisa Gumbs

June 13, 2020

You About to Lose Your Job: TV Stars Learn the Hard Way That Racism Doesn’t Pay

It’s been a busy week for some of the country’s biggest television networks, putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to maintaining their professed values of diversity and inclusion. A handful of stars learned this week that an apology is not enough when it comes to their misdeeds and were instead fired after their acts of racism came to light.

The week started with the firing of actor Hartley Sawyer, who has been a regular cast member on the last few seasons of The CW superhero series The Flash. Old tweets of his had resurfaced in recent weeks that were racist, misogynistic, and homophobic.


Executive Producer Eric Wallace, who is Black, tweeted that The Flash is a show for all families, including Black and Brown ones, and that he would “continue to find Black and Brown writers, directors, actors and producers of all genders to help tell FLASH stories. Their stories are part of the American narrative, too, and must be heard. And the more you hear and see us, the more you begin to recognize one simple fact: We’re human beings, too.”

Bravo reality show Vanderpump Rules was practically cleaning house this week. The show let go of four of its stars on Tuesday for separate acts of racism.

The most well-known of the bunch, social media influencer Stassi Schroeder, had her partnerships with shaving brand Billie and vitamin brand Ritual cancelled, her wedding column with Glamour discontinued, and was dropped by her talent agency and PR firm, according to Page Six. Schroeder and her fellow fired castmate Kristen Doute had called the police multiple times on former co-star Faith Stowers, the only Black cast member of Vanderpump Rules, for crimes she had nothing to do with.

 

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@therealeve God bless you. :purple_heart: @thetalkcbs

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The show also let go of Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni for past racist tweets from 2011-2012 that resurfaced in January, according to the New York Post.

MTV also had multiple reality stars to deal with, and again Twitter and racism proved to be a losing combination. Teen Mom OG star Taylor Selfridge’s new special Teen Mom OG at Home: Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special was pulled on Tuesday because of past tweets that she’s previously apologized for, although US Weekly reports that Selfridge says the decision to leave the franchise was hers.

Meanwhile, over on The Challenge, past winner Dee Nguyen stirred up new controversy with her posts and comments on Blackout Tuesday. The MTV show tweeted that it would air the current season, on which she appears, as planned but that it was severing ties with her.

The firings seem to be picking up steam from last week, when Lifetime cut ties with Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller after the mother of one her former dance competitors shared the racism her child had faced on the show.

by Alisa Gumbs

June 13, 2020

For the First Time Ever, There Will Finally Be a Black Bachelor

After 24 seasons, ABC’s hit reality series The Bachelor is finally getting its first Black lead. The network announced yesterday that Matt James will be the first Black bachelor.

James is a 28-year-old research analyst for commercial real estate firm CBRE. Originally from North Carolina, he played football for Wake Forest University, where he earned a degree in economics, before a brief stint in the NFL, according to People.

“We know we have a responsibility to make sure the love stories we’re seeing on screen are representative of the world we live in,” said Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment, in a statement. “We feel so privileged to have Matt as our first Black Bachelor and we cannot wait to embark on this journey with him.”

“It’s an honor,” James told Good Morning America. “I’m just going to lean into myself and how my mom raised me, and hopefully when people invite me into their homes on Monday night, they see that diverse love stories are beautiful.”

James is a familiar face for fans of the show, as he is the best friend of Tyler Cameron, the runner-up on the most recent season of The Bachelorette, and was originally cast as one of the suitors for the upcoming season starring Clare Crawley—which has been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Matt has been on our radar since February, when producers first approached him to join Bachelor Nation, as part of Clare’s season. When filming couldn’t move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt,” Burke said in a statement, “and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor.”

The franchise has faced a lot of criticism in recent years for its lack of diversity, most vocally from Rachel Lindsay, who made history as the first Black Bachelorette. Lindsay told Black Enterprise in a previous interview that since her breakthrough season, she’s been “disappointed” by the casting choices: “Once again, we’re going to see another season where we don’t have a person of color in this role. I feel like the system isn’t working and things need to change.”

It seems ABC has gotten the message, with its statement noting that the network is “proudly in service to our audience.”

Burke’s statement continued, “This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take action with regard to diversity issues on this franchise.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Provides Scholarships For George Floyd’s Daughter and Granddaughters To Attend HBCUs
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 13, 2020

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Provides Scholarships For George Floyd’s Daughter and Granddaughters To Attend HBCUs

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) announced on Friday that the organization is planning on providing scholarships to the daughter and granddaughters of police shooting victim George Floyd to attend an HBCU of their choosing.

AKA International President Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover has notified the family of the gracious gift that the AKA organization, which was founded on the campus of Howard University by Black collegiate women, had made to them.

In a written statement, according to Essence, Glover stated, “Since our founding in 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha has endeavored to build a better world for African Americans by serving the community, advancing higher education, and fighting for social justice.” She also stated that she hopes the financial support for the young women will help “assist them on their path to success.”

Glover has recently stated during a press conference that when Floyd called out to his mother before he took his last breath, that it was a call for help from all women. Alpha Kappa Alpha plans on answering that call by denouncing police brutality but by also being there for the young women that were left behind by his senseless killing. That includes his six-year-old daughter, Gianna, and also his granddaughters, Taleiaha and Journi. They will each receive full scholarships plus aid. Glover says the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will also be there to support the family in whatever way they can.

Essence reported in a video posted to The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s social media, Glover says, “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated strongly condemns the senseless killings of Black women, Black men, and our Black children, in the United States, resulting from unlawful, unnecessary, and excessive use of force by police and those playing vigilante watchmen.” Glover also stated that the AKAs will continue to fight for social justice issues and push for meaningful reform.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated “had its humble beginnings as the vision of nine college students on the campus of Howard University in 1908. Since then, the sorority has flourished into a globally-impactful organization of nearly 300,000 college-trained members, bound by the bonds of sisterhood and empowered by a commitment to servant-leadership that is both domestic and international in its scope”

President Donald Trump Reschedules Tulsa Campaign Rally ‘Out of Respect’ for Juneteenth
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 13, 2020

President Donald Trump Reschedules Tulsa Campaign Rally ‘Out of Respect’ for Juneteenth

President Donald Trump has decided to reschedule his first rally since the coronavirus emerged from the original date of June 19th to the next day, June 20th, “out of respect” for the Juneteenth holiday according to CNN.

Juneteenth is celebrated because, on June 19, 1865, the Union Army informed people in Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, the enslaved people were now free. Based on the date Trump decided to hold his first rally, especially in light of the recent protests taking place worldwide fighting against police brutality against black people and racial injustice, people have been critical of Trump for planning his return on that date.

In a perceived slap in the face to black people, the rally was also scheduled to take place 99 years after the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 where, in May of 1921, black citizens in Tulsa were massacred at the hands of white mobs in what was known as The Black Wall Street.

The president took to Twitter to announce the rescheduled date:

The Republican Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, has also released a statement regarding the changing of the date of the rally. “I am thankful President Trump recognizes the significance of June 19 and has chosen to move his campaign rally out of respect to Oklahomans and the important Juneteenth celebrations.”

The Black Lives Matter Movement and a Breakthrough Deal Boost a Black Winemaker’s Business
by Caroline Clarke

June 13, 2020

The Black Lives Matter Movement and a Breakthrough Deal Boost a Black Winemaker’s Business

Two tough years in the making, there were days when Longevity founder Phil Long, 60, wasn’t sure the marriage of his small business, one of the nation’s few certified black-owned wineries, with Bronco Wine Co., one of the largest wine producers in the U.S., would happen.

But in early March, Long found himself in Texas, launching two new Longevity wines bottled by Bronco in quantities way beyond anything Long could have produced on his own, all earmarked for distribution in major outlets most small winemakers don’t even dream about.

“I’d been making 150 cases of Longevity’s white label chardonnay here a year,” says Long, sitting in his boutique northern California winery, surrounded by wine barrels and awards, including one for 2018 Livermore Valley Winery of the Year.

“With Bronco, we started by making 2,700 cases each of white label chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, with the expectation that they’ll be gone quickly. As I watched the first bottles being filled at Bronco’s plant in November, I realized I’ve been a wine peddler,” Long reflects. “That all changes now.”

But no sooner did Long arrive for the Texas launch of his two new wines with Bronco than COVID-19 hit the U.S., and the big moment he had been waiting for evaporated. He returned to his Livermore Valley shop and braced himself. “I knew the winery would take a hit, but I hoped the new line with Bronco would offset that,” he says. “I never would have predicted what’s actually happened.”

By the first week in April, sales were up 100%, says Long, even though Longevity was no longer open for popular weekend tastings. But by the last week in May, sales were down by more than 75%.

Then George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police and the ensuing outcry called attention to not only black lives, but black businesses.

“We are gaining Instagram followers at a rate of 100 per day because of the Black Lives Matters movement,” says Long, who is president of the American Association of African-American Vintners. “I’m seeing a massive increase in online orders as people promote black businesses and urge their support. It’s mind-blowing.”

Long was overdue for some good news. When the prospect of the Bronco partnership first surfaced in September 2017, his wife, Debra, was already a year into her battle with stage four pancreatic cancer. Between caring for her and their business, he didn’t have much time or energy to focus on courting Bronco.

But he knew the partnership would enable his company to scale, far surpassing its 3,000-case-a-year peak production level and enabling Longevity to have a national presence in outlets like Krogers, Safeways, Lucky, Target, and Costco—“basically everywhere you see wine,” Long says.

Longevity’s being a certified minority-owned business heightened its appeal for Bronco along with the love story at the heart of the brand, according to Joey Franzia, Bronco’s national sales and marketing director, who told Wine Business Monthly that Long’s passion for the business was also a draw: “He has developed an exceptional brand, with a great pedigree, and we saw an opportunity to share in his vision and grow in the distribution channel.”

While neither Long nor Bronco reps would reveal sales projections, he says the deal will undoubtedly transform Longevity’s fortunes and his family’s. As of June 1, more than 12,000 cases of the two new Longevity varietals had already been bottled and Long says, “It would have been more if not for COVID-19.”

New Deal, New Cork, New Future

Longevity was launched in 2008 with $40,000 of an unusually high bonus from Long’s full-time job as creative director at Rapid Displays. In 2011, Debra quit her job to devote herself to their winery full time. By the time Phil quit his job in 2014, they had invested roughly $20,000 more in Longevity and the wines were starting to make waves.

Phil and Debra Long of Longevity Wines (Image courtesy of Phil Long)

“From the beginning, I’ve had my hand in every detail,” says Long who created the company name and logo—a heart of interwoven grapevines made for Debra which graces every Longevity bottle and is also tattooed on Long’s arm.

Debra died in January 2019, just before the Bronco deal was finalized. “I really wish she’d been here,” says Long. “Every aspect of this has been my baby, and it’s also Debra’s legacy, so it’s very important to me.”

Long says he had to steel himself for the new reality. “The first fear I had was letting go of what we started from scratch,” he says. “Then I realized it’s a partnership. I’m not letting go, I’m expanding. I’m still the winemaker, I’m the face of the brand, I’m the spokesperson, so it’s really a tremendous opportunity.”

Long blended each new flavor profile personally. On Winebusiness.com, Jim Gordon, who rates wines for Wine Enthusiast magazine, describes Longevity’s 2018 Chardonnay as “clean and bright in the mouth, bursting with flavors of honeydew and lemon.” He was equally enthusiastic about the “rustic, plum colored” 2017 Longevity Cabernet Sauvignon. Both will retail for $15.99, which Long describes as the “sweet spot for everyday table wine.”

The bottles are also sealed with a new Helix cork that doesn’t require a corkscrew. “It’s like opening champagne and the cool thing is you can put the Helix back in and save the wine to finish later,” says Long.

While little has gone as planned given all the world-changing events since March, Long, who works alongside his namesake son and a small staff, has no complaints.

“I anticipated becoming the spokesperson for African American vintners and owners over the next several years, but due to the current environment, I have become that overnight,” says Long. “I’m still a little bit dumbfounded but I’ll take it. I want the world to know black vintners are out here, and we have a lot to offer.”

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