FORMALDEHYDE,relaxer, hair, Back women, straightener

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 3, 2025

BLK Launches ‘Free Your Crown’ Campaign In Celebration Of Black Women And Natural Hair

The campaign encourages Black women to show off their natural hair in any setting.

BLK wants you to “Free Your Crown” in an innovative campaign to celebrate Black women and natural hairstyles.

The social and dating app for Black people announced the campaign on July 3, also known as National Crown Day. The bold initiative takes self-love to a new level for Black women, championing their natural curls and coils. In honor of their new #FreeYourCrown campaign, BLK will sponsor the costs for Black women’s natural hairstyles this summer.

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The campaign stems from a cultural shift for Gen Z Black women, opting to express themselves wholeheartedly through their hair. No matter the occasion or presentation, Black women are ditching the self-doubt to rock their authentic style.

“Natural hair has always been a symbol of confidence, individuality, and culture. For so long, Black women were made to feel like they had to change who they were to be accepted. With #FreeYourCrown, we’re not just celebrating natural hair — we’re creating space for Black women to be seen, uplifted, and supported at every stage of their journey,” said Amber Cooper, Brand Manager at BLK, in a press release obtained by BLACK ENTERPRISE.

According to BLK’s #FreeYourCrown survey, Black women are growing their confidence and preference for their natural hair. The survey’s results concluded that over 60% of Black women wear their natural hair full time, with over 83% wearing it on first dates. On social media, over 75% of Black women regularly showcase themselves in their natural hair state.

The campaign will not only sponsor hair styling but also include immersive engagements for others to join the cause. BLK has launched a Natural Hair Social Call-to-Action. Its purpose is to encourage BLK members to change their profile pics on dating apps to promote their natural hairstyles.

The evolving dating and social platform also established a BLK Beauty Group Chat. The space allows women in the BLK app to talk about all things hair, love, and care.

The Free Your Crown campaign comes at a time when protections like the CROWN Act are gaining traction as well as challenges. Despite the societal shifts away from uplifting diversity, BLK remains committed to a movement that amplifies natural hair as a standout factor, and not something to shy away from.

by Black Enterprise

July 3, 2025

Op-Ed: What It Takes To Go From Daytime TV to Comeback CEO

By Erica Cobb

When my show, Daily Blast Live, was canceled last year, I didn’t spend a lot of time mourning the end of an era. I embraced the beginning of a professional revolution. After more than two decades in mainstream media, on both television and radio, I knew one thing for sure: my voice wasn’t going to disappear just because my nationally syndicated show did. In fact, I realized it was time to amplify my experience on my terms.

The timing couldn’t have been more poetic. Just one week after DBL ended, I started the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program powered by NYU Stern. Surrounded by powerful, visionary Black women experts and entrepreneurs, I was reminded that what I’d lost wasn’t an ending, it was a door opening. The program equipped me not just with the mindset but also with the strategy to turn my name, my platform, and my principles into a sustainable business. And now I’m doing just that.

Like many media personalities navigating a rapidly shifting landscape, I made the leap from legacy media to independent ownership. I launched ComebackTV Presents, a multifaceted production company built on my core values: authenticity, community, care, and yes, resilience, too. Because comebacks aren’t just about bouncing back. They’re about rising up, reimagined and unapologetic.

We are in a media moment unlike any we’ve seen before. Journalists, hosts, and creators are leaving, or being pushed out of, legacy networks and forging new paths as independent voices. Substack newsletters, self-funded podcasts, YouTube shows, and Patreon-supported journalism ventures are all exploding. This isn’t just a career pivot for individuals like myself, it’s a mass movement that reflects a hunger for digital storytelling that centers real people.

That’s why ComebackTV Presents exists. It’s not just a production company; we’re rooted in the idea that we don’t need gatekeepers to be great. ComebackTV Presents’ slate of original podcasts, including Accidentally Informed with Claudia Jordan and myself, and Daytime Talk After Dark, hosted with my former DBL co-hosts, is proof of it.

But ComebackTV Presents is not just about content creators. We’re valuable strategic partners for brands and organizations, too. What makes our team unique is that we’re powered by national TV veterans with experience in daytime and unscripted. We all worked together in a newsroom for seven years, which is special. We know how to tell a story that lands, scales, and sticks. We can wrap a newsroom structure around any industry or business.

Starting my own venture wasn’t easy. It meant learning new skills, assembling a team of fellow industry professionals, and investing in a dream with no guarantees. But what I’ve gained is something liberating: freedom. The freedom to platform important voices. The freedom to bring opportunities to other talented, often overlooked media professionals, and the freedom to engage with new audiences across sectors. Starting CTP was a natural move after Daily Blast Live ended, because I was already producing so much of my own content for podcasts and live shows. My podcast, Comeback: with Erica Cobb, was even nominated for an NAACP Image Award.

We’re not just entering a new chapter in media; we’re building a new book entirely. A lot of the innovation and creativity is coming from those of us who have gone independent. The ventures and platforms we build now will become the stages for the next generation. And they won’t be built on formulas. They’ll be built on freedom.

In daytime TV, I had a seat at the table. Now, I’m building the house, and there’s room for everyone who’s ready to come back stronger, louder, and freer than ever.

Erica Cobb is CEO & founder of ComebackTV Presents. She is a 25-year veteran national TV and radio host who leveraged her media platforms in the content creator and production space. Cobb sat on the Board of META’s Black Creator Program, “We the Culture,” and was a member of the LinkedIn Creator Program. She was honored with a NAACP Image Award Nomination in 2023 and is a cohort of the Fall 2024 Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women: Black in Business program with curriculum partner NYU.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 3, 2025

Corporations Are Buying Up Altadena Properties Affected By The Eaton Fire Leaving Locals ‘Very Concerned’

Corporate buyers account for a bulk of the property purchases being made in Altadena after the Eaton fire.

At least half of the homes sold in Altadena, California, following the Eaton Fire have been purchased by corporations, raising alarms among residents about a growing trend of land consolidation.

An investigation into recent records and deed filings in Altadena reveals that corporate buyers make up about 23% of single-family home sales, with 42% of those purchases tied to just six companies, each owning four or more properties, Dwell reports. A handful of repeat buyers are acquiring fire-damaged or distressed properties once owned by multigenerational families in the historically diverse community, which has welcomed a significant Black population since the Great Migration.

Locals are “very concerned—but also in that same way we’re feeling about the rest of the world: concerned, but don’t know how to fix it,” said Altadena resident Tim Vordtriede.

Among the corporate buyers is Black Lion Properties, LLC, confirmed to be operated by record-breaking Powerball winner Edwin Castro through his brother, Jesse H. Castro. The company has spent nearly $9 million acquiring at least a dozen fire-damaged properties. While its first purchase was in South Pasadena in December 2024, most acquisitions have centered on Altadena in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.

“Many people who were affected by the fires in Altadena cannot or do not want to rebuild and aspire to move on and start over elsewhere,” a spokesperson for Black Lion said in a statement. “These purchases will help some of them while keeping ownership of the property local.”

Other corporate buyers include L.A.-based Ocean Development Inc., which has acquired at least 16 post-fire lots; NP Altadena I, LLC, linked to San Diego’s New Pointe Communities Inc., with 12 lots; Iron Rings Altadena, LLC, formed in March, with four lots; and Bloom Capital Investments and Sheng Feng Global Inc., each tied with six lot purchases.

Vordtriede, cofounder of the Altadena Collective, a grassroots group focused on community-led rebuilding, is concerned that corporate buyers, such as Black Lion, are snapping up fire-damaged lots and may reshape the neighborhood’s character before displaced residents have a chance to return. While he knows how vulnerable many survivors are in the aftermath of trying to rebuild, he encourages homeowners to consider selling to another family or individual rather than a corporate entity.

“It’s not about ‘Hey, you can’t sell your lot.’ It’s about being thoughtful if you sell your lot,” Vordtriede said. “If you see [one of these companies] trying to buy your property, maybe work with your agent to see if someone else can match that price, someone who is an individual, family, trust, or partnership.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 3, 2025

San Antonio Spurs Player Devin Vassell Bears Gift, Expertise To 30 High School Students In Jamaica

He hosted a basketball clinic at the Herbert Morrison Technical High School

NBA player Devin Vassell visited his father’s homeland, Jamaica, to host a basketball clinic at the Herbert Morrison Technical High School.

According to The Jamaica Gleaner, the San Antonio player was on the island June 30 to give back to the community and brought some Nike gear with him. Thirty students had the opportunity to interact with Vassell, who also gifted them with socks, knapsacks, T-shirts, and shoes.

Vassell said that he enjoys giving back to the community.

“I just want to pour back into the community. This is a dream come true.”

The students who attended the clinic were from Herbert Morrison, Muschett, Holland, Green Pond, Cornwall College, Spot Valley, and St James High. The Spurs player spoke with the 30 guys and signed autographs for them, and he also offered them some advice about the sport of basketball. This was his first time visiting a high school on the island of Jamaica. He stated that he wants to help the students so they can be prepared to take their skills to the next level, and he wants them to have the necessary gear and equipment needed to get there.

“When I was younger, I didn’t have all the resources I needed either, so my biggest thing is to try and help out.”

Although this is his first clinic in Jamaica, he also conducts several in the States.

It was a family affair, as his father, Andrew, who was born in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, accompanied him, along with his mother, sister, and brother.

“It touched my heart. It is an overwhelming feeling,” Andrew said. “This is the first of many, and it just makes our entire family happy.

“The feeling and emotion is huge for me, knowing what we will do in this Third World country we originated from.”

The 24-year-old has recently expressed interest in representing his father’s country in the upcoming Olympics, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.

Vassell has been in the NBA since being selected by the Spurs at No. 11 at the 2020 NBA Draft after playing his collegiate career at Florida State University.

by Keka Araújo

July 2, 2025

New Jersey’s Misplaced Focus: 77-Year-Old Assata Shakur Tops The State’s Most Wanted List

Is this truly where New Jersey’s finite resources and political will should be directed, when deeper systemic crises fester within its own borders?

On May 12, in a move that defies contemporary relevance and strains credulity, the New Jersey State Police recently unveiled its 2025 “Most Wanted” list, placing 77-year-old Assata Shakur—formerly Joanne Chesimard—at its apex.

The designation, accompanied by a $2 million reward for her capture, arrives decades after Shakur received political asylum in Cuba, became a Cuban citizen, and earned a master’s degree from the University of Havana. The state’s unwavering focus on a figure long beyond its reach begs a searing question: Is this truly where New Jersey’s finite resources and political will should be directed, when deeper systemic crises fester within its own borders?

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Shakur’s history is undeniably fraught. On May 2, 1973, America’s most wanted woman was involved in a fatal roadside shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left State Trooper Werner Foerster dead and Trooper James Harper seriously wounded. Convicted of first-degree murder in 1977 and sentenced to life, Shakur escaped prison in 1979 and has resided in Cuba since 1984, where she was granted asylum.

The New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association has consistently advocated for her return, calling her presence in Cuba “an affront to every resident of our state.”

The White House, under various administrations, has also cited Cuba’s harboring of fugitives, including Chesimard, as a point of contention in U.S.-Cuba relations. Trump even used Shakur’s exile as a way to double down on his trash Anti-Cuba/ anti-Black rhetoric on June 30 with his “Strengthened Policy From the United States Toward Cuba.” Yet, the pursuit of a septuagenarian exile, however symbolically charged, appears a jarring misallocation of attention when juxtaposed against the urgent, tangible suffering of New Jersey’s present-day populace.

Consider the stark realities demanding the state’s immediate and comprehensive intervention:

Persistent Racial Wealth and Income Gaps: New Jersey, a state of considerable affluence, harbors one of the nation’s most egregious racial wealth disparities. Data from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ) reveals a median household wealth gap where white households command approximately $662,500, while Black and Latina/o households possess less than $20,000. This chasm has reportedly doubled in size since the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a profound economic injustice. Furthermore, median household income for white families stands at $110,100, starkly contrasting with $76,100 for Latina/o households and $68,900 for Black households. These are not historical footnotes; they are active, debilitating inequities.

Entrenched Educational Segregation and Achievement Gaps: New Jersey’s public education system, while often lauded, is marred by deep-seated racial and economic segregation. The state ranks among the most segregated school systems in the nation, funneling many minority students into underperforming schools. This concentration of poverty and racial isolation demonstrably impedes academic advancement. Post-pandemic data from the New Jersey Department of Education indicates that despite some overall improvements, significant disparities persist, with districts serving predominantly Black and Hispanic students consistently lagging behind their white peers in academic recovery.

Aging and Inadequate Infrastructure: The state’s physical backbone is crumbling, imposing substantial financial burdens and raising critical concerns for public safety and economic vitality. New Jersey drivers collectively incur an average of $713 annually due to vehicle repairs and inefficiencies directly attributable to dilapidated roads. A troubling 7.8% of bridges are classified as structurally deficient. Modernizing the state’s drinking water systems is estimated to require $8.6 billion, and its public schools face a staggering $1.58 billion capital expenditure gap for essential facility upgrades and maintenance.

Persistent Health Disparities: Health outcomes in New Jersey are shaped by race and socioeconomic status. Black and Latina/o residents face disproportionately higher uninsured rates, rendering them acutely vulnerable to financial catastrophe from medical emergencies. Black residents are more than twice as likely to lack health insurance as white residents, while Latina/o residents are six times more likely to be uninsured. Compounding this, New Jersey’s maternal death rate is among the nation’s highest, with Black mothers tragically seven times more likely than white mothers to succumb to pregnancy-related complications.

Challenges in Affordable Housing and Housing Instability: The crisis of housing instability disproportionately afflicts racial and ethnic minorities and low-income households across New Jersey. Financial obstacles are the most common impediment to securing safe and desirable housing. Black and Hispanic residents are more than twice as likely as white and Asian residents to confront housing barriers. Alarmingly, more than one in 10 New Jerseyans either lack stable housing or live with the gnawing fear of losing their homes, signaling an urgent demand for expansive affordable housing solutions and robust support systems.

The decision to spotlight Shakur, a 77-year-old woman living under political asylum in Cuba as the state’s paramount fugitive, while these quantifiable crises persist, speaks volumes about a deeply misguided sense of priority. It suggests allocating attention and potential resources to a historical grievance, however deeply felt by some, rather than to the immediate, pressing needs of hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans struggling with economic disenfranchisement, educational inequity, crumbling infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and housing insecurity.

A truly just and effective government would, with unwavering resolve, address the tangible suffering within its own communities, rather than chasing ghosts across international waters.

#TeamAssata

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 2, 2025

General Mills Employee Reported ‘Offensive’ Messaging Around Black History, Company Allegedly Retaliated

There was nothing fun about the Tulsa Race Massacre, labeled as one of the single worst incidents of racial violence in American history.

A lawsuit accuses food manufacturer General Mills of retaliating against a former employee after reporting alleged “fun facts” during Black History Month, referencing sensitive historical events including the Tulsa Massacre and Black Codes, Fox 9 News reported.

The discrimination and retaliation lawsuit was filed by Storms Dworak LLC on behalf of L. Lee Tyus Jr., a Black man, who alleges the company violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when he was terminated for speaking up. The Minnesota-based company allegedly passed out flyers during the February 2025 celebration, labeling violent acts of history like the Tulsa Race Massacre as “Fun Facts.”

After expressing concern, he was placed on involuntary leave. Upon his return, Tyus shared contact information of other employees who claimed to be offended by the content. After copies of the document he created were placed in the breakroom, the litigation alleges he was escorted out and fired.

The $50,000 lawsuit pushes for a civil fine and attorney fees, as, according to KARE 11, Tyus started working at General Mills in 2019. In January 2025, he received a performance review stating he was “on track.”

There was nothing fun about the Tulsa Race Massacre, also known as the Black Wall Street Massacre. Labeled as one of the single worst incidents of racial violence in American history, the event lasted for 18 hours on May 31 and June 1, 1921, resulting in an estimated 300 Black Americans being killed. In addition, a white mob destroyed over 1,000 homes and businesses, burning Oklahoma’s second-largest African-American community to the ground.

Once the violence ended, the city was placed under martial law.

Surviving Tulsa residents have been fighting for justice and restitution for decades. In 2024, the Oklahoma Supreme Court denied a request to reconsider a ruling that once dismissed a lawsuit filed by the last two known living survivors. The suit was an effort to force the city of Tulsa and others to make restitution for the destruction under the state’s public nuisance law. Legal reps also argued that the city appropriated Black Wall Street’s iconic reputation for its “financial and reputational benefit.”

In a statement, Tyus’s lawyer, Naomi Martin, said the lawsuit was filed because people should not be targeted for standing up for what they believe. “General Mills has a national brand and a deep Minnesota footprint. In my view, that kind of presence comes with responsibility, and a company of this size should be modeling what it means to support employees who speak up, not firing them. Mr. Tyus did what every employee should feel safe to do — he stood up, spoke out against what he believed was discrimination, and reported it. That took courage,” Martin said.

“And it’s exactly the kind of action the Minnesota Human Rights Act exists to protect. We brought this case because no one should face retaliation for doing the right thing.”

While General Mills failed to comment on the issue, the company did reveal that they “do not tolerate discrimination or retaliation.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 2, 2025

Anti-DEI Rhetoric And Federal Budget Cuts Put Emmett Till Monuments At Risk

Thanks to former President Joe Biden, monuments of Till and Mobley-Till were installed in 2023 at three sites with significant relevance.

National park conservancy groups are calling out the Trump administration for attempting to have national monuments of the likes of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, removed due to anti-DEI policies, CBS News reports.

While there are 138 national monuments across the U.S., budget cuts at the hands of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are threatening to eliminate the budget for National Park Service (NPS) by roughly $1 billion, putting the monuments of Emmett Till, whose brutal killing was a pivotal event of the Civil Rights movement, at risk. “We are seeing this effort to erase and reverse history and historic preservation,” said historian and Senior Director of Cultural Resources and Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association Alan Spears.

“This is turning quickly into a dream deferred.”

Till’s story still resonates as an important moment in American civil rights history. The 14-year-old Chicago native was visiting cousins in Mississippi in 1955 when he was kidnapped and brutally lynched by a mob of white men after Carolyn Bryant, a white woman, falsely accused him of whistling at her. Thanks to former President Joe Biden, monuments were installed in 2023 at three sites of significant historical relevance.

The first one is located at Graball Landing along the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi, where Till’s body was found. The second is at the Tallahatchie County Courthouse, where his killers, who confessed to the crime, were acquitted by an all-white jury. The third can be found at the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago, where Till’s funeral was held after Mobley-Till insisted on having an open-casket procession to see what the men did to him.

Spears and fellow advocates have worked diligently to expand on the monuments, but that work may be eliminated due to the Trump administration’s DEI policies. “Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen to anybody else’s son ever again,” Spears said.

In a June 2025 legal opinion released by the Department of Justice, it was revealed that the president can downsize national monuments for the first time since the 1930s, adding to another attack on DEI. According to The Independent, other sites at risk of being removed include California’s Chuckwalla and Sattitla Highlands national monuments and the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona.

Former National Park Service Director Chuck Sams, who left his role in early 2025, labeled the possibility of Emmett Till and Mobley-Till monuments being removed as “very sad and egregious.” “People don’t like to look at their past when it shows a negative light of who we are, and I can understand that nobody likes to look at their own personal past that may have a negative light, but we also know that in order to learn from our own history, we also have to learn from our past mistakes,” Sams said.

“And we, as Americans, have never been actually scared to do so, and I don’t think we should be now. We look at our past, and we know that from our past mistakes that we have become stronger.”

However, the White House seemingly defended having the ability to shut down the sites, claiming it is part of Trump’s “promise” to “‘drill, baby, drill’ and restore American energy dominance.” Accordeing to The Independent, Anne Kelly, a White House spokesperson said in a statement: “Under President Trump’s leadership, [Interior] Secretary [Doug] Burgum is keeping our parks ready for peak season, ensuring they are in pristine condition for visitors, and restoring truth and sanity to depictions of American history in line with the president’s executive order.”

College Applications, Student, College Board, essays

by Kandiss Edwards

July 2, 2025

‘Making A Difference’ Initiative Invests Millions In Student Scholarships

Making a Difference initiative has topped all previous years’ donations

On July 2, 1-800-TruckWreck announced that it has awarded over $2.94 million in scholarships and job-readiness program funding through its “Making a Difference” initiative.

The “Making a Difference” initiative has topped all previous years’ donations for three consecutive years. To date, the program has awarded aid to 619 students. Over 500 scholarships have been renewed.

In 2025, 1-800-TruckWreck awarded $432,500 in scholarships to 173 graduating seniors. The initiative gave an additional $12,500 to five specially selected students. Furthermore, an estimated 179 previous recipients will have their scholarships renewed. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA. Additionally, students must carry a course load of 12 credit hours or more.

In a press release, Amy Witherite, owner of Witherite Law Group, emphasizes the importance of the “Making a Difference” initiative.

“For those who can’t afford college outright, accruing overwhelming student loan debt is a valid concern,” Witherite stated. “Financial assistance can be a lifeline to help students further their education, enhance their skills, and better position themselves for jobs of the future.”

Witherite collaborates with various organizations to support students. These include Fort Worth ISD, Atlanta Public Schools, Crete-Monee School District, and the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy.

Student Response

Georgia Tech student GeNaya Hough praised the scholarship’s impact, “Thanks to the financial relief this scholarship has provided, I haven’t had to work as many hours just to stay afloat. That freedom has allowed me to truly engage in my Georgia Tech experience and pursue leadership and involvement opportunities I’m passionate about.”

Deona Davis, a University of Georgia student, stated, “Their belief in me has not only opened doors but has also instilled in me a greater sense of confidence and determination as I pursue my ambitions in law.”

The “Making a Difference” Scholarship was established in 2014. It continues to recognize students who have demonstrated leadership in their schools and communities.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 2, 2025

AI Videos Of Black Women Displayed As ‘Bigfoot Baddies’ Go Viral For Racist Depictions

The videos show Black women as versions of bigfoot engaging in racist tropes.

New AI videos of Black women depicted as bigfoot-human hybrids have become viral on social media.

Deemed “Bigfoot baddies,” the video showcases Black women in a stereotypical and racist light. Dressing up the artificially-made figure in acrylic nails and pink wigs, one garnered over a million views for its look and use of offensive tropes.

“We might have to go on the run,” said the figure on the AI video. “I’m wanted for a false report on my baby daddy.”

According to Wired, the video was generated by Google’s VEO 3. Since its launch in May, users have created videos of “Bigfoot baddies” simulating real-life vlogs. While the trend first used characters like bigfoot and even figures from the Bible to add to the trend, it has since emerged as an offensive display of stereotypes against Black women.

The depiction of Black women as a version of bigfoot themselves also carries a darker meaning. One expert says that the trend has taken the dehumanization and ridicule of Black women through AI to new heights.

“There’s a historical precedent behind why this is offensive. In the early days of slavery, Black people were overexaggerated in illustrations to emphasize primal characteristics,” explained Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution. “It’s both disgusting and disturbing that these racial tropes and images are readily available to be designed and distributed on online platforms.”

Multiple videos have garnered millions of views each, spreading across apps like TikTok and Instagram. They showcase the hybrid animal-women speaking African American vernacular English, or AAVE, to further signify their Blackness.

Many, however, have warned about the sinister capabilities of AI video creation, comparing the perceived “harmless” technological advancement to the development of social platforms.

“One of the problems with generative AI is that the creators of AI tools cannot conceive of all of the ways that people can be horrible to each other,” explained Meredith Broussard, a professor at New York University. “So, they can’t put up a sufficient number of guardrails. It’s exactly the same problem we’ve seen on social media platforms.”

They not only include racist depictions of Black women, but also Black men. Some videos show Black men reconfigured as chimpanzees while on a fishing boat to catch fried chicken.

AI has already been called out for its bias against users who speak AAVE. Now, its unrealized racist implications have expanded to the content themselves. Furthermore, access to these AI-generative platforms remain on the rise, potentially subjecting minorities to even more virtual harassment and abuse.

Black Americans, Hollywood, Film, Content Creator, Actor, Actress

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 2, 2025

Isaac Hayes III Advises Content Creators To ‘Consider Yourself A Television Network’

Isaac Hayes III reminds content creators of their power in the digital space.

As digital stars like Kai Cenat, Khaby Lame, Druski, and Jackie Aina earn big in the streaming world, they’re being urged to brand and operate like modern-day TV networks because that’s exactly what they are, according to Isaac Hayes III.

As the founder of Fanbase, the content creator hub that helps creators monetize their creations, Hayes is offering sound advice to growing and aspiring content creators of today. With creators making millions a year in brand deals, endorsements, and viewership, long gone are the days when the youth sat in their rooms watching television for hours on end. Now, kids are catching their content online from a smartphone, video game, or computer, making them the MTVs and BETs of today.

“Consider yourself a television network, consider yourself the same way that Kai Cenat considers himself as he’s a network, but the big separator between what he does and these other legacy media platforms is he’s doing it inside a community infrastructure like Twitch,” Hayes said on the July 1 episode of the Black Tech Green Money podcast.

Through his Fanbase platform, Hayes is making content monetization more accessible to everyday users looking to speed up the process of becoming profitable creators.

“It takes the average content creator six months to earn their first dollar on other social media platforms,” Hayes explained. “We have people earning a dollar in minutes on Fanbase the day they sign up. And it’s not by even subscriptions; it’s from people actually tipping them for their content for something that you say in an audio room or a comment that you leave on a post or something that you say in a dm.”

The platform is growing fast, with Hayes revealing that Fanbase is close to reaching $13 million in its latest funding round, bringing its total equity crowdfunding to $27 million, a milestone he says marks a first for a Black tech founder.

“We’ve made history, and I want to continue to make history. I want to continue to be disruptive,” Hayes declared.

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