by Derek Major

May 10, 2020

Black Civil Rights and Faith Leaders Pen Letter to Congress Calling for Immediate State and Local Aid

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The National Action Network along with civil rights and faith leaders across the country have penned a letter to Congress calling for swift passage of state and local aid in the next stimulus bill.

The letter is signed by Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of the NAN, and 13 civil rights organizations and religious leaders.

The group sent the letter to Congress noting the government’s reluctance to help African American communities. The group says the lack of funds to these communities will do even more harm to the people in these areas that have been broken by the pandemic.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control, African-Americans constitute 20 percent of all U.S. coronavirus deaths,” the letter states. “Although we are only 12 percent of the U.S. population … The economic harm that communities of color will suffer, if the federal government fails to act, will also be devastating.”

The letter is signed by representatives from the Conference of National Black Churches, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., the Black Women’s Roundtable Human Rights
Public Policy Network, the National Urban League, and others.

The letter urges Congress to inject funds into the public sector, which “has been one of the nation’s most
dependable employers of African-Americans, lifting generations of black families into the middle class.”

Additionally, the group condemned Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for suggesting that states go bankrupt.

“When the Majority Leader of the United States Senate casually says we should let states go bankrupt or that he will not provide support for state and local governments without also providing a liability shield for corporations, that is a slap in the face to the hardworking public sector employees,” the letter states. “From nurses to corrections officers to school custodians – who are putting their lives on the line to keep their neighbors safe.”

The letter also cites a New York Times article from March that states that the coronavirus relief package in March included “a small change to tax policy [that] could hand $170 billion in tax savings to real estate tycoons.”

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant effect on African Americans. Unemployment among African Americans has more than doubled to 16.7%.

A Pew Research Center survey shows 48% of African Americans say they “cannot pay some bills or can only make partial payments on some of them in April.

Atlanta-based entrepreneur Patricia Thompson Terry is one of the many entrepreneurs who has had to adapt to the new realities brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic. She has been forced to close down her beauty school due to mandatory stay-at-home orders issued by the state.

Instead of keeping her doors closed, the beauty entrepreneur has decided to take her courses online so students can continue their studies in quarantine.

Terry is the founder of Touched by An Angel Beauty School and Salons, which has two locations in Jonesboro and College Park, Georgia. Since the lockdown, the school has introduced a dual online training program where all incoming students can start their introductory classes and current students can finish the second half of the program online. 

While hands-on training cannot be offered right now, students can complete online courses in hair theory—and not just in Georgia. The school recently became certified to teach students in Virginia.

Terry is also the founder of a non-profit organization called TBA Helping Hands “A Pathway to Success,” which awarded full scholarships to 30 students for immediate attendance to her beauty school. Her goal is to give men and women the opportunity to attend, learn, and receive their cosmetology license from an accredited beauty school. The scholarships can be used to cover their tuition through graduation.

In honor of International Women’s Day, the foundation issued 15 scholarships along with free bus passes and free daycare for mothers who were displaced and victims of domestic violence.

“Nothing is more important to me than giving back,” Terry told Eurweb. “Yes, my schools are the most affordable in comparison. But, I know there are some people who can’t afford it. I want to give them a chance.”

The music industry is known to chew and spit out people who lack the vision and/or staying power needed to ride the ever-changing waves. But, if you have a creative mindset and can adapt to the many trends and flows of the game, you tend to stick around and add to your success. Entrepreneur Chanel Rae Pettaway just happens to fit that mold.

“The Culture Princess” is the co-founder of the Legion Media Group, a full service public relations and branding agency that is based in New York City. Amassing a client base that keeps her busy, she also makes time to co-host a new podcast for the millennial mom, “Our First Time–A Mommy Cast.”

Pettaway spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE about who she works with, what she does, and how she manages to stay in the game while focusing on her personal goals.

What is the name of your company and how long have you been in business and who are some of the clients you’ve worked with?

The Legion Media Group was formed in July 2009. Current and past clients range in music, media, fashion, and entertainment. My current roster includes Hot 97, Jim Jones, Cam’Ron, Dipset, Cipha Sounds, Peter Rosenberg, Salaam Remi, Joell Ortiz, Chinx (RIP), Embassy Lounge NYC, DJ Juanyto, DJ Drewski, DJ E. Stylez, Fatman Scoop, Iman Nunez, and GiF the Great.

Understanding the inner workings of the music and entertainment industry, how are you able to navigate through this cutthroat game and still be successful?

I believe in staying true to myself. Though it will take me longer to get to the top, when I do, I will bring my morals and values along with me. Though I’m aware of what my peers are doing, I focus on my personal goals and what is ahead of me. My motto is to stay in my lane and mind my business. At the same time, I’m never going to allow someone to bully me. I will always stand my ground.

You were recently a part of a collaboration between Dipset, the NBA, Mitchell and Ness, and Bleacher Report. How did that come about and what was your role in making it happen?

Project Director Justin Dreyfuss of Bleacher Report reached out to myself, Peter Kadin, and Teff Mogus of Empire team (Dipset’s distribution label) and told us about the remix apparel they were doing along with Mitchell and Ness and the NBA. They told us they were possibly interested in a joint collaboration with Dipset but wanted ideas on what the capsule would look like. I expressed to them that we needed more than to just release the product. It’s one thing to do it, but if no one knows about it, what good is it?! I pitched my ideas for the roll out to all parties and it we collectively saw most of them through. Cam’ron and Jim were eager to see it come to fruition.

The design was done by Cade Beaulieu and Cam’ron did the finishing touches regarding the color pattern.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for anyone who wants to take a path similar to yours in this industry?

No matter what you want to do in life, you have to learn your craft before you can master it. Always be kind. My high school coach Carl Hawker would always remind us: Be careful of the toes you step on today as it may be connected to the ass you may have to kiss tomorrow.

What else are you working on that you’d like to discuss?

We are in the process starting a new weather show for Jim Jones with iOne, The Weatha Show. Initially, it would run across all their platforms and their radio stations and branch out from there.

In an industry where accomplishments are often overlooked, are there any that you’d like to talk about that people may not be aware of?

Most people don’t know that I was on Cardi B‘s early team along with Shaft. I was the first to get her music media placement (her first XXL music mention).

• COVID-19

by Dana Givens

May 10, 2020

Caribbean Nations May Require Returning Citizens And Tourists To Take COVID-19 Tests For Entry

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The travel industry has been brought to its knees due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many countries around the world have been forced to close their boundaries to non-citizens and restrict leisure travel completely.

Caribbean nations have had unique challenges with dealing with the viral outbreak from low death rates and instituting mandatory stay-at-home orders early to stop the virus from spreading. Now with many countries looking to the future of travel once everything resumes, some countries are requiring returning citizens and tourists to test for COVID-19.

Antigua and Barbuda announced that they will be requiring COVID-19 test certificates to prove their negative results in order to be allowed entry into the country. The island plans for tourists to undergo rapid testing for the virus before boarding the aircraft to visit.

The Bahamas and Haiti joined in announcing their COVID-19 testing requirements earlier this week. This comes after the push for a new COVID-19 “passport” for travelers to prove they are negative in order to fly. Some critics say the action will be difficult to implement.

“Requiring some kind of COVID passport is going to be difficult,” said Carlos Espinal, director of the Global Health Consortium at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health at Florida International University to the Miami Herald.

According to the Miami Herald, in a national address last Sunday, Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced that any citizen or legal resident who wanted to return will need to obtain a real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction diagnostic test from an accredited lab, “unless otherwise approved to have the test administered upon arrival.” The test, also known as RT-PCR, is considered the gold standard of testing due to its accuracy for detecting the coronavirus.

“All those returning will be required to be quarantined for 14 days in a government quarantine facility or self-quarantined,” Minnis said. This comes after the Bahamian Health Minister Duane Sands submitted his resignation, taking full responsibility for allowing six permanent residents to return to the country through a private air charter despite the border closure and testing requirement.

• News

by Derek Major

May 10, 2020

Two Sikh Doctors Shave Their Beards In Order To Treat Coronavirus Patients

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Two Sikh brothers in Canada, who are also doctors, have cut their beards in order to wear N95 masks when treating coronavirus patients.

According to Upworthy, both Sanjeet and Rajeet Singh-Saluja sported long breads as part of their Sikh religion.

One of the main pillars of the Sikh religion is sewa meaning selfless service or helping others without reward or personal gain. Another main pillar is kesh, the practice of allowing one’s hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God’s creation.

The two pillars put the men in a tough situation. The brothers told reporters they consulted leaders of the Sikh faith as well as friends and family. Eventually, the brothers decided their commitment to helping other heal was worth more than their beards.

“We could choose not to work, but in a time when healthcare workers are falling sick, we would be adding stress to an already taxed system,” Sanjeet said in a video posted by the McGill University Health Centre. “We could decide to simply refuse to see COVID-19 patients until viable protection is available to us, but that goes against our oath as physicians and against the principles of sewa,” he continued.

It’s the first time either brother, both in their 40’s, has shaved their beard, so naturally it’s not something they’re used to,

“It’s a decision that has left me with much sadness,” Sanjeet told the Montreal Gazette. “This was something that had been so much part of my identity. I look at myself in the mirror very differently now. Every morning when I see myself, it’s a bit of a shock.

Sanjeet added due to how easily the coronavirus is transmitted from person to person “it just wasn’t feasible anymore.”

The brothers knew they couldn’t sit on the sidelines, knowing ignoring hundreds of people were dying everyday and not helping would go against the Sikh religion. More than 60,000 residents in Canada have been infected with the coronavirus, but only 4,500 have succumbed to the disease.

American is having a much harder time dealing with the virus. More people in America have died than the the number of Canadians have been infected. However, Canada’s unemployment rate of 13% is not far from the 16.7% rate in the U.S.

Although several states are reopening for business, a new survey found that a majority of parents are prioritizing the safety and health of their children and communities in wake of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

A poll released by the National Parents Union found that around 75% of parents across the country think schools should only reopen when COVID-19 is no longer a health risk, even if that means that students will fall further behind. Just 22% of parents, on the other hand, say schools should reopen as soon as possible.

The poll also revealed that 8 out of 10 parents want schools to implement new measures when they do reopen, including notifying all parents if and when a student or staff member is ill and providing counseling and mental health services. In addition, they want students and teachers to have the option to learn or teach from home. Furthermore, about 75% of parents support staggering schedules while 70% say face masks should be mandated for students and staff.

“The voice of parents must be heard loud and clear: we will not let our children return to school until it is absolutely safe to do so”, said Keri Rodrigues, the founding president of the National Parents Union, in a statement sent to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Our children are not guinea pigs. They are our sons and daughters whose health and safety must be paramount above all else. When school leaders, government officials, and medical professionals can make us, as parents, feel comfortable that it is safe for our kids to return, that’s when we’ll do so and not a second sooner.”

Because of the pandemic, 61% of parents say that schools should come up with new, innovative ways to educate students moving forward. On the other hand, only 32% of parents want the education systems to continue to operate the same way they did before the novel crisis.

Parents are also more concerned about education and their families’ wellbeing than their finances. According to a press release:

81% of parents are worried about their kids missing important social interactions at school or with friends, and the same percentage of parents are worried about making sure their child stays on track in school. Nearly the same say they are worried about themselves or a family member contracting coronavirus (80%). And more than three fourths say they are worried about how the situation is affecting their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

 

Meanwhile, economic concerns don’t rank quite as high, although still a significant issue, as 69% of parents say they are worried about making ends meet.

“Our instinct, as parents, is to always put our kids’ wellbeing above all else, even as many lie awake wondering how to pay the rent,” Rodrigues continued. “Every single day our hearts break as we worry how this crisis is impacting them, whether it be their mental health or their ability to keep up in school. But make no mistake, our kids are learning- they’re learning grit, perseverance and empathy, attributes that they will carry with them for life.”

The COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, pandemic, has put a stop to many milestones and celebrations for the year including graduation ceremonies. While many celebrities and even former President Barack Obama have stepped to offer commencement speeches for the class of 2020, there are some who are still disappointed that they won’t be able to celebrate with their fellow classmates and families. One high school in Cincinnati is looking to change that.

A group of seniors at Dohn Community High School came together to create a special send-off for their classmates at their charter school to give other graduates something to celebrate. According to Fox19Now, graduates came out in their caps and gowns—and gloves and masks—to receive their diplomas. They were greeted by family members ready with an elbow bump and warm smiles.

• Arts and Culture

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2020

Little Richard Rock and Roll Pioneer Dead at 87

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Rock and Roll has truly lost a legend today. Richard Penniman, better known as Little Richard, died on Saturday morning in Tullahoma, Tennessee according to The Associated Press.

Little Richard, who called himself the “architect of rock ‘n’ roll” died Saturday after a losing battle with bone cancer. The legendary musician was 87.

Pastor Bill Minson, who is a close friend of Little Richard’s, had told The Associated Press that Little Richard died Saturday morning. Little Richard’s son, Danny Jones Penniman, has also confirmed that his father has passed away.

Bill Sobel, Little Richard’s attorney for more than 30 years, told The Associated Press in an email that the musician had died of bone cancer at a family home in Tullahoma, Tennessee. “He was not only an iconic and legendary musician, but he was also a kind, empathetic, and insightful human being,” Sobel said.

Born in Macon, Georgia as Richard Wayne Penniman on December 5th, 1932, he was one of 12 children and grew up around his uncles who were also preachers. “I was born in the slums. My daddy sold whiskey, bootleg whiskey,” he told Rolling Stone in 1970. The musician used to sing at a nearby church, but, like many people in the church during those times, his father Bud, didn’t support his son’s music. He also accused him of being gay, which resulted in Little Richard leaving home at 13 and moving in with a white family in Macon.

He also grew up with and was childhood friends with another music great, Otis Redding. He sold more than 30 million records worldwide and was very influential on many musicians from the Beatles and Otis Redding to Creedence Clearwater Revival and David Bowie.

In 1956, he released his classic “Tutti Frutti” and the song landed in the Top 40, setting off a string of hits that included “Lucille,” “Keep A Knockin’,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.”

The music legend, along with Elvis Presley, Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke, and others, were among the charter members when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1986.

Macon, Georgia has named a street after its favorite son and Little Richard was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Education

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2020

Nicholas Johnson Becomes First Black Valedictorian in Princeton’s 274-Year History

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History has been made at one of the most prestigious universities in the world! Nicholas Johnson becomes the very first black valedictorian at Princeton University.

Nicholas Johnson, who is an operations research and financial engineering concentrator from Montreal has been named valedictorian of Princeton’s Class of 2020. Princeton University plans to hold a virtual commencement for the Class of 2020 on Sunday, May 31, 2020. An in-person ceremony will be held in May 2021.

“My favorite memories of my time at Princeton are memories of time spent with close friends and classmates engaging in stimulating discussions — often late at night — about our beliefs, the cultures and environments in which we were raised, the state of the world, and how we plan on contributing positively to it in our own unique way,” Johnson said in a written statement.

The 2020 valedictorian says he plans to spend this summer interning as a hybrid quantitative researcher and software developer at the D. E. Shaw Group before he starts to begin Ph.D. studies in operations research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall of 2020.

In addition to Johnson serving as a writing fellow at Princeton’s Writing Center, he is also editor of Tortoise: A Journal of Writing Pedagogy. He is a member of Whitman College, where he has served as a residential college adviser. He is also a member of the Princeton chapter of Engineers Without Borders and served as its co-president in 2018.

During his junior year, Johnson conducted an independent research project, “Generating Privacy Preserving Synthetic Datasets,” supervised by Prateek Mittal, associate professor of electrical engineering, in which he developed a machine learning system to more robustly anonymize datasets than existing alternatives. He presented this work at the spring 2019 Electrical Engineering Symposium and the 2019 Center for Statistics and Machine Learning Symposium.

Among his other professors, William Massey, the Edwin S. Wilsey Professor of Operations Research and Financial Engineering, and Dannelle Gutarra Cordero, a lecturer in African American studies, were influential for Johnson.

“Professor Massey inspired me by sharing his ever-present love for operations research and through his advocacy for black and African American students in STEM fields,” Johnson said. “He encouraged me to pursue increasingly ambitious research projects and to share my work at academic conferences. Professor Gutarra introduced me to academic writing during my first-year Writing Seminar. She was instrumental in helping me develop my skills as an effective academic writer and communicator, and she motivated me to become a writing fellow.”

Johnson is a graduate of Selwyn House School and attended Marianopolis College, both in Westmount, Quebec.

Nicholas Johnson, an operations research and financial engineering concentrator from Montreal, has been named valedictorian of #Princeton20.

Congratulations, Nicholas! 👏 pic.twitter.com/pS11ep2rWZ

— Princeton University (@Princeton) April 27, 2020

• Lifestyle

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2020

REVOLT Vice Chairman Andre Harrell Dead at 59

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The Hip Hop world is in mourning as one of the architects of some of the best Hip Hop sounds has passed away. Music executive Andre Harrell has died at the age of 59 according to Billboard magazine.

Andre Harrell, who started Uptown Records in the late 1980s, was instrumental in the arena of Hip Hop and R & B with early acts such as Heavy D, GUY, Al B. Sure, Father MC, Mary J. Blige, Christopher Williams, and many other luminary artists during that time. He is also the person who put his faith in a young budding executive named Sean Combs who has blossomed into one of the most important figures in Hip Hop and R & B.

DJ D-Nice, while playing music on his Club Quarantine Instagram Live series, had announced the passing Friday night (May 8). Combs‘ REVOLT company has confirmed the death of Harrell where he served as the vice-chairman at REVOLT.

REVOLT CEO Roma Khana had released a written statement confirming the news about Harrell. “We can confirm the passing of Andre Harrell. Everyone in the REVOLT family is devastated by the loss of our friend, mentor, and Vice-Chairman. Andre’s impact on the culture and on us has been immeasurable and profound. May he Rest In Peace.”

Just this past December, Black Entertainment Television had announced it was working with Harrell to bring the Uptown Records story to life. They’ve recently held auditions to cast the many people that were instrumental in the success of Uptown Records. There are plans to turn this into a three-night scripted miniseries.

At the time of the announcement, Harrell put out a statement on the upcoming production, “I am thrilled to partner with BET Networks and Jesse Collins Entertainment to share my story, the rise of Uptown Records and successful black entrepreneurship, and the management and cultivation of some of the most iconic artists to come out of the late ’80s and ’90s hip-hop, R&B, and soul music era.”

Def Jam co-founder, Russell Simmons, who hired Harrell in his ascent to successful executive expressed words for him via Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Heartbreaking – No words, my best friend 💔 always compassionate, good-hearted, full of love and.. what a beautiful legacy he leaves in this world… All the inspiration, direction and support he gave to so many… So many can say they are successful because Andre Harrell gave them their start. He was so beloved because he made his living uplifting others… We celebrate him in his passing because we were so blessed for his presence… He gave everything he had. God makes the best plans R.I.P @andreharrell

A post shared by Russell Simmons (@unclerush) on May 8, 2020 at 11:00pm PDT