This Bronx Culinary Collective Is Giving Back To Families In Need For COVID-19
by Dana Givens

May 26, 2020

This Bronx Culinary Collective Is Giving Back To Families In Need For COVID-19

New York City has been hit hard by the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic and no borough has been harder hit than The Bronx due largely to income inequality, poor healthcare, and food deserts. One culinary collective is come together with a special nonprofit to give back to its hometown by doing what they do best.

The Ghetto Gastro is known for its unique twist when it comes to food and now they are teaming up with Rethink, a nonprofit that takes excess food from restaurants to corporate kitchens to feed locals severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They announced last week that they would be teaming up with the culinary group to expand its operations in the borough to feed New Yorkers in need.

“I met Matt [of Rethink] when it was just an idea and I’ve always admired his out-of-the-box thinking and precision,” said Jon Gray, co-founder of Ghetto Gastro, in a press statement.

“From reclaiming wasted foods from Michelin style restaurants to the innovative storefront soup kitchen model, it shows the impact and intent of Rethink’s work. Early in the lockdown, we spoke on expanding the reach to the Bronx and I thought La Morada was the perfect spot to launch. They’re a community pillar owned by undocumented immigrants, and they’ve been doing the work. So with the grant we get to support the work that La Morada has been doing and keep their staff paid.”

Since the start of the pandemic, Rethink has teamed up with numerous restaurants around the city to help distribute over 30,000 meals for marginalized communities in The Bronx.

“By partnering with Ghetto Gastro and working with restaurants that residents trust, we are able to reach and serve people in a way that has never been done before—not just in NYC, but nationwide,” said Matt Jozwiak, CEO and founder of Rethink Food NYC in the statement. The organization hopes to spread the movement to other boroughs in New York City as it moves to become a federally funded program to continue helping those in need.

28-Year-Old Black Man Makes History As New CEO at Leading Environmental Tech Firm
by Derek Major

May 26, 2020

28-Year-Old Black Man Makes History As New CEO at Leading Environmental Tech Firm

Adam Roosevelt, a 28-year-old politician and combat veteran, is adding to his illustrious résumé by becoming the first African American to be chosen as SEM North America’s first CEO.

According to Black Business, SEM Energy, a disruptive environmental technologies company, has announced its expansion into the U.S. The company has tapped Roosevelt to lead its operations and expand its capabilities and market reach.

Grant Leslie, the COO of SEM said Roosevelt is a welcomed addition.

“This opportunity has come forward much quicker than we thought, Adam’s drive and passion is something we want to build on,” Leslie told Black Business. “This business opportunity brings Adam Roosevelt as one of the few African American pioneers of eco-friendly environmental solutions that will disrupt multiple industries around North America and around the globe.”

Leslie added Roosevelt’s military service helps contribute to the concepts and schematics of these new technologies. A 2017 report by ARLnow says Roosevelt began his military career by serving in the U.S. Army, which included two tours in Afghanistan and a stint at NATO.

Roosevelt, a Norfolk, Virginia, native, also ran for the 49th District of the House of Delegates in 2017 on a platform focusing on education, transportation, small business, and veterans’ affairs. However, Roosevelt lost to Democratic incumbent Alfonso Lopez.

Roosevelt also worked as a contractor in cybersecurity and in intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security.

SEM Energy was founded in 2016 by founders Grant Leslie and John Jones, who wanted to bring a different approach to the energy industry.

In addition to Roosevelt, other African American CEOs have made headlines recently.

Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison announced the home improvement company would assist minority-owned businesses with $25 million in grants to support efforts to relaunch the American economy. Last week, Ramona Hood was appointed as the president and CEO of FedEx’s Custom Critical, which secures transport of “keep cold” products to wholesalers, hospitals, clinics and retailers.

Meet The Black Designer Who Broke The Internet With Her 3D Runway Show
by Dana Givens

May 26, 2020

Meet The Black Designer Who Broke The Internet With Her 3D Runway Show

Fashion runway shows give designers the opportunity to showcase their latest creations to the industry and enthusiasts. Traditionally, they have been grand live events lined with celebrities and industry insiders to get a first look at their new designs. Now one designer has revolutionized the game with her innovative virtual runway show that has set a new standard in how designers showcase their latest works.

Over the weekend, Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba created a social media firestorm when she gave the world a preview at her latest collection from her fashion brand, Hanifa, on Instagram Live on Friday with a groundbreaking 3D runway presentation. The digital models walked down the invisible runway showcasing the designer’s creations from the Pink Label Congo collection featuring a series of vibrant colored designs on headless, three-dimensional silhouettes.

The Maryland resident sat down in an interview with Teen Vogue to talk about the new idea and why it was important to provide access to her showcase through social media. “We know that some people may never experience a fashion week or Hanifa showcase, so we wanted to show up for our audience where they show up for us on a daily basis,” she said. “That’s when Instagram became the obvious choice.”
“With a digital model you’re determining the measurements and what would cause the model to look most realistic,” Anifa continues. “Without real women to draw inspiration from there could be no 3D models to emulate our beautiful skin tones, curves, and walking patterns. For me the biggest challenge is making sure that the beauty we display in real life is well represented on the screen.”
Mvuemba often pays tribute to her home country of Congo through her designs while drawing attention to the social issues such as illegal mining.
“I am so intentional about everything I do with this collection,” Mvuemba said during the launch on her Instagram page on Friday according to CNN. “If you’re African then you know about African seamstresses and how detail is so important and the color is so important and prints are so important. I really just wanted to use that in this collection, just to give tribute to African seamstresses.”

 

Central Park White Woman Says ‘Her Life Is Being Destroyed’ After Viral Video
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 26, 2020

Central Park White Woman Says ‘Her Life Is Being Destroyed’ After Viral Video

The perils of being black in America don’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

According to CBSN New York, on Monday, a white woman in New York City called the police department and made an alleged false complaint, saying a black man was “threatening me and my dog” after the man asked her to leash her dog.

The man, Chris Cooper, who is an avid bird watcher, asked the woman, Amy Cooper (no relation), to put a leash on her dog. The two of them were in a section of Central Park named The Rambles, which has clearly visible signs stating that dogs must be leashed in that particular area.

After making the request, the female Cooper, Amy,  then decides to argue with the male Cooper, Chris. She proceeded to approach him, as she drags her dog by the collar and says, “I’m gonna tell them that an African American is threatening my life.” Luckily, Chris’s sister, Melody also filmed the confrontation.

 

Amy then says, “I’m sorry, I’m in The Ramble, and there’s a man—an African-American with a bicycle helmet —he is recording me, and threatening me and my dog.”

The police said when they arrived at the scene, neither party was there, so it led to no arrests. But, the mayor had something to say. Mayor de Blasio called it “racism, plain and simple.”

Amy Cooper told CNN “I’m not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way.”  She added, “[My] entire life is being destroyed right now.”

Even City Councilman Mark Levine weighed in.

After the video was posted and gained traction, her employer, Franklin Templeton, took to Twitter and issued the following statement: “We take these matters very seriously, and we do not condone racism of any kind,” read the statement. “While we are in the process of investigating the situation, the employee involved has been put on administrative leave.”

Women Are Experiencing Higher Rates of Job Loss Amid COVID-19
by Lydia Blanco

May 26, 2020

Women Are Experiencing Higher Rates of Job Loss Amid COVID-19

The shifting economy has presented a number of challenges for Americans. With record-breaking unemployment numbers, women are facing higher rates of job loss during the COVID-19 crisis than men. In a recent article by The Hill, economists outlined the reasons why women are experiencing more job insecurity than their male counterparts. According to economists, industries dominated by women attributed to the high job loss rate.

The Hill reported, “Women represent 73 percent of employees in clothing stores, 71 percent in gift, novelty, souvenir stores, and 75 percent of retail florists. In accommodation and food services, they have a slight edge at 53 percent employment representation, and also dominate beauty salons, nail salons and personal care services that social distancing has made prohibitive.”

To put things into perspective, since the pandemic, women who work in retail account for three-quarters of jobless numbers but only make up about half of the retail industry. The Hill also reported that women working in the business and professional services industries make up for about 46% of all employees, but they lost 56% of the jobs.

Beyond the industries that women work in, issues that persist in the workplace like the broken rung have factored into job insecurity and loss.

Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute told The Hill, “I think that has to do with the occupations within the sectors. Women, she notes, are generally less likely to be well-represented in middle- and high-level positions, so they may be the first to go when the crunch hits.

“Women have been less likely to be promoted into the positions that are more likely to be protected,” she added.

In addition to experiencing job loss, men are being hired to fill the positions made available instead of women.

A recent survey conducted by Syndio also revealed that 14% of women were considering quitting their jobs because of the increased family demands while sheltering in place.

As women disproportionately face job loss, those who are responsible for families are also experiencing great loss. And leaders are concerned about the lasting economic impact can have on women and their families. Issues like hunger and poverty loom in the shadows of the pandemic.

Florida Appeals Court Rules State Can’t Bar Felons From Voting Over Fines and Fees
by Derek Major

May 26, 2020

Florida Appeals Court Rules State Can’t Bar Felons From Voting Over Fines and Fees

A Florida court ruled a law barring felons the right to vote until they pay all fines and fees related to their cases amounted to an unfair poll tax.

According to NBC News, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Tallahassee federal judge’s preliminary injunction Wednesday, calling a state law implementing Amendment 4, a poll tax that would disenfranchise many of the released felons.

In 2018, Florida overwhelmingly approved allowing felons who’ve served their time, the right to vote. However, the Republican-led legislature added a law stipulating felons had to first pay any fines and fees before being able to vote.

A voting rights group representing 17 felons sued the state over the law hoping to overturn it.

In its ruling, the court said the financial requirement “punishes those who cannot pay more harshly than those who can — and does so by continuing to deny them access to the ballot box.”

Although the ruling only applies to the plaintiffs, there are 1.6 million Florida felons who have completed their prison sentences and could regain their voting privileges under Amendment 4.

“This is a tremendous win for our clients and for our democracy,” Sean Morales-Doyle, a senior counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice told NBC News.

“We disagree with the ruling,” Helen Ferre, the chief spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis told NBC News. Ferre added the state would immediately ask the entire 11th Circuit to reconsider the ruling.

The three-judge panel said previous Supreme Court rulings required it to “apply heightened scrutiny in asking whether the requirement violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as applied to these plaintiffs.”

The panel ruled the law does violate the 14th amendment and reinstated the injunction allowing felons to register to vote, regardless of their ability to pay fines, restitution, and other fees.

Both Republicans and Democrats are drafting and executing plans to win the 2020 Presidential Election. Republicans are coordinating a $20 million effort to prevent African Americans from voting and Michele Obama’s “When We All Vote” campaign is working to expand voting by mail.

by Daron Pressley

May 26, 2020

Cannabis Entrepreneur Sabrina Peterson is Turning A Drug Indictment Into Drug Profits

Sabrina Peterson is an award-winning business coach, strategist, and proven entrepreneur who has dedicated herself and her businesses toward being a one-stop-shop for female empowerment—both financially and socially. Well-known for her sustainable and no-nonsense approach to business and financial development, Peterson has graced stages that include the Essence Festival. Peterson has also had her hand in leading the charge on several social issues facing her hometown of Atlanta, particularly focusing on violence and abuse against women.

Now, she arrives at the meeting point of all these ambitions, making a recent move to Los Angeles to launch a full-scale cannabis company. Placing her focus on introducing marginalized women across the country to the burgeoning hemp industry, she is redefining cannabis culture through female-centric products and accessories.

BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Peterson about her cannabis indictment, creating opportunities for female business owners, and advice to grow during times of uncertainty. 

BE: When did you realize CBD and cannabis was a business opportunity you wanted to pursue?

Peterson: First and foremost I was facing 23 years for a cannabis indictment. During that time I was educating myself on the cannabis trade and how this can be so illegal in the south but our Caucasian counterparts were able to generate legal income.

Right now, it is hurtful to see that the stigma of marijuana has set our black people back generation after generation, and now the same drug is being used to create wealth for whites. This business opportunity is less about myself and more about empowering black people with the same drug that put us away. Hemp is where it is and the land is where it is at. Currently, this is a cash crop. 

What are the steps you took to start the business?

I have to live where it is legal to conduct the cannabis business. Before thinking about operating this type of business, it was critical to find out the laws in my specific state. I went straight to the dockets of the law to make sure I was in compliance with the law. Next, I immediately secured an L.L.C., and began to develop my brand Pretty High Co. I literally started with one or two cannabis-based products in my closet. I did not need 20 different pieces, just a few great items and truly understand what makes that product different in the marketplace. 

How important is branding in the CBD industry?

Everything big started out small. You want to create quality products that have medicinal benefits that truly work. Identify your brand’s core philosophies, which include a mission statement and values. It’s also important to determine your brand’s value proposition to the consumer. The cheapest thing you can do right now in this space is to begin to build your CBD or hemp brand. As a brand, you can be in multiple stores and outlets across the country if you take the time to develop your strategy.

What are three pieces of advice to help entrepreneurs get through this period of time?

  1. Stop being what you see and become what you need. Find a way to be first.  
  2. You do not have to reinvent the wheel but you do have to innovate in your unique way.
  3. Start where you are with what you have. Just start. Start reading, start researching, start doing. You will not always get it right but as long as you are moving in a forward direction you will make progress. 
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 26, 2020

NFL Testing Face Masks with N95 and Surgical Material to Protect Players From COVID-19

Once the National Football League returns to regular action this fall, the players may be outfitted with face masks that will protect them and other NFL personnel from spreading the coronavirus, according to ESPN.

NFL Players Association’s medical director Thom Mayer appeared on The Adam Schefter Podcast last week to discuss some of the things the NFL is doing to increase safety for the players amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Back in early March, I had suggested that we should consider novel and emerging ways to handle the helmets and the face masks and the spread of the virus,” Mayer said. “And these guys, the bioengineers that we use and that the league uses—Oakley, as you may or may not know, does all the face visors for the league under contract—these guys got the bit between their teeth.”

NFL engineers and Oakley are working with each other to come up with prototypes that could be used for the upcoming 2020 football season. 

“They’ve got some prototypes. They’re doing really good work. Some of them, when you first look at them, you think, ‘Gosh, no’ ’cause you’re not used to seeing it. You’re just not used to seeing it. But they’re looking at every issue you can imagine, including when it fogs up. What do we do with that? But these guys are used to dealing with this stuff,” Mayer said on the ESPN podcast.

Oakley previously designed durable eyeglasses that don’t fog up for use by the military, Mayer said.

“For a player like that, getting the helmet off, putting a mask on right afterward, maintaining social distancing when not in the field as much as possible, using single-use hydration—whether water, Gatorade, whatever it might be— I mean, just every little detail,” he said.

“Anybody who’s got a risk, I would advise them to be zealous, religious, and, frankly, almost maniacally committed to minimizing the chance of spreading the virus.”

There’s a great possibility that once the season starts, there will be no fans in attendance at the stadiums due to the coronavirus.

Black Man Pleads For His Life As White Cop Keeps His Knee on His Neck Minutes Before He Died in Minneapolis (Video)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 26, 2020

Black Man Pleads For His Life As White Cop Keeps His Knee on His Neck Minutes Before He Died in Minneapolis (Video)

In an eerily similar situation that led to the death of Eric Garner in New York City, a black man in Minneapolis identified as George Floyd died after telling a white police officer that he couldn’t breathe as the officer’s knee was on his neck, according to CBS News.

The Minneapolis Police Department released the following statement:

“On Monday evening, shortly after 8:00 pm, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to the 3700 block of Chicago Avenue South on a report of a forgery in progress. Officers were advised that the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence.

“Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.

“At no time were weapons of any type used by anyone involved in this incident.

“The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate this incident at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department.

“No officers were injured in the incident.

“Body worn cameras were on and activated during this incident.”

What’s not mention is that one of the officers placed his knee on the neck of the victim that appears to have led to his death. According to CBSN Minnesota, a video was posted on social media showing a police officer kneeing a man’s neck to the ground for several minutes. The victim says before dying, “Please, please I can’t breathe.” The video of the encounter is posted on Darnella Frazier’s Facebook page. (Warning: Video is graphic.)

In response, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered an emotional speech apologizing to the community for the incident, which he called “wrong at every level” during a press conference Tuesday morning.

“He should not have died,” he said. “Being black in America should not be a death sentence.”

Frey, who appeared at a media briefing with Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo, continued:  “For five minutes we watched as a white officer pressed his knee to the neck of a black man. For five minutes,” he said. “When you hear someone calling for help, you are supposed to help. This officer failed in the most basic human sense. What happened on Chicago and 38th this last night was simply awful.”

Department spokesman John Elder says agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI have been called in to investigate this incident at the request of Minneapolis Police. Mayor Frey says regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear to him. “Whatever the investigation reveals, it does not change the simple truth… that he (the man who died) should be with us this morning.”

Watch Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s response to the incident below.

Cleveland To Pay $18M To Trio Who Spent Decades In Prison For 1975 Wrongful Murder Convictions
by Moguldom

May 26, 2020

Cleveland To Pay $18M To Trio Who Spent Decades In Prison For 1975 Wrongful Murder Convictions

Three African-American men who spent decades in prison in Cleveland for crimes they didn’t commit will be paid a combined $18 million from the city for wrongful murder convictions in 1975.

It took 12-hours of mediation for Cleveland to reach the settlement with the three wrongfully accused — Rickey Jackson, Wiley Bridgeman and his brother Kwame Ajamu. Under the settlement, the payments will be split up through April 2023. The lawsuits filed by all three men will be dropped.

Friedman and Gilbert, the law firm representing two of the men, said the settlement is the largest awarded over police misconduct in Ohio, WKYC reported.

The exonerated men, who are now in their 60s, were convicted of murder in 1975 for shooting money-order collector Harold Franks. Even while behind bars, the men maintained their innocence and were finally cleared in 2014.

By that time, Jackson had served 39 years in prison and it is believed he served the longest amount of time behind bars by anyone wrongfully convicted of a crime, Cleveland.com reported.

“Money cannot buy freedom and money certainly does not make innocence,” Ajamu said.

Under the settlement deal, Jackson will get 40 percent ($7.2 million) and Bridgeman and Ajamu will split the rest, Jackson’s lawyer Elizabeth Wang said.

“What is 39 years of your life worth?” Wang said. “Nobody can put a number on that. No amount of money that can compensate them for what they went through.”

In August 1975 a jury found Jackson, Bridgeman, and Ajamu (then known as Ronnie Bridgeman), guilty of murdering Franks. They were also convicted of trying to kill store owner Anna Robinson. The men were sentenced to death but the sentences were reduced to life in 1978 when the state enacted a short-lived moratorium on the death penalty, Cleveland.com reported.

At the time of the conviction, the three were just 17, 20, and 18 years old.

Nearly 40 years later, the eyewitness, who was 12 years old at the time, recanted his testimony and judges overturned the men’s criminal convictions. The eyewitness, Edward Vernon, said in 2014 that city detectives pressured him to lie on the witness stand. He said the police threatened to jail his parents and that police manipulated him, Cleveland.com reported.

The Ohio Innocence Project, which has obtained Vernon’s recantation, took on the trio’s case. Bridgeman, 65, and Jackson, 63, were released in 2014. Ajamu, 62, was paroled in 2003.

Besides the settlement, the trio’s story was chronicled in a book written by Kyle Swenson, now a reporter for The Washington Post, who covered the case for the alternative weekly Cleveland Scene.

The men were set to take their lawsuits to trial in July. They sued the city of Cleveland and the detectives who investigated the case, AP reported. The federal lawsuit suit, filed July 2, 2015, named three Cleveland police detectives and a sergeant and the estates of a sergeant and three other detectives who have since died.

Ajamu told WKYC he hopes their case will cause improvements in the justice system. “We accept and hope that there’s a challenge in this organization now that you will go forward with the right agility towards equality and justice,” Ajamu said.

“This lawsuit and settlement expose the egregious misconduct by police who worked up the case, fabricated false evidence, withheld evidence of innocence, and then coerced Vernon into lying on the stand at trial,” the law firm of Friedman and Gilbert said in a statement. “The settlement also marks the City of Cleveland’s failure to monitor and train rank and file police in the 1970s, reflected in the department’s widespread culture of racist policing and misconduct with impunity.”

This article was written by Ann Brown for The Moguldom Nation.

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