Wanda Durant Shares the Importance of Putting Yourself First and Giving Back as a Mother
Many people know Wanda Durant, inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist, affectionately as “the Real MVP.” What many do not know is her story.
As a single mother who set her sons on pathways to success, “Mama Durant” now helps others do the same through the Wanda Durant The Real MVP Foundation. In a sit-down interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE Digital & Events Editor Lydia T. Blanco, Durant shared her journey of self-rediscovery, the importance of mental wellness, and advice for parents in the time of COVID-19.
Having raised two sons–Anthony and Kevin Durant (basketball superstar and provider of her now-famous nickname)–as a single mother, Wanda Durant knows what it is like to sacrifice, go without, and show up for children relentlessly. She also knows how to adapt once there’s an empty nest. Now, she’s highly regarded for her no-nonsense parenting advice.
During the conversation, Wanda Durant spoke candidly about the challenges she faced as a young mother and lessons she learned about herself along the way. With sons over the age of 30, she offered sound advice to those still parenting young and adult children.
This Mother’s Day, Durant wants to encourage women who are parents and guardians to take a moment to themselves and celebrate all that they have accomplished in relation to motherhood and their personal journeys.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while families are home together, Wanda Durant touched on the importance of creating healthy bonds that promote mental wellness. The Wanda Durant The Real MVP Foundation focuses on education and empowering children and their families. During the pandemic, she and her team have made it a priority to support students by providing them with an online curriculum to make remote learning accessible.
Do you see why she’s the real MVP? And she’s not the only one. There are countless mothers who have laid it all down for their children who are being celebrated for their selfless commitment.
At BLACK ENTERPRISE, we celebrate you all. Happy Mother’s Day!
Joe Biden, Erykah Badu, Vanessa Williams, Tina Knowles-Lawson, and More to Deliver Virtual Commencement Speeches at This HBCU
The global COVID-19 pandemic has upended the economy, brought the nation to a standstill, and disrupted the lives of millions of people, including students. As a result, graduating seniors across the country will not be able to participate in milestone events like proms, senior class trips, and traditional graduation ceremonies. However, to help alleviate the disappointment, Delaware State University (DSU) has called on 25 cultural influencers—from hip-hop stars to a former Ms. America to a former vice president—to deliver a star-studded virtual commencement to remember.
The HBCU announced an all-star lineup of speakers who congratulate the class of 2020 during its May 16 virtual commencement celebration. A few of the notable guests include Joe Biden, Grammy-Award winning artist Erykah Badu, businesswoman Tina Knowles-Lawson, and actress Vanessa Williams. Other speakers include political commentator Angela Rye and Bryan Stevenson, the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative and the New York Times Best-Selling author of Just Mercy.
“When I confer degrees on the Class of 2020, it is more than a credential that will get them to their next goal. It is a reminder that each of them is now and always ever-present with us,” said Delaware State University President Tony Allen, reflecting on the commencement celebration in a statement to BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The University announced in March that students would receive their degrees in an online ceremony due to the coronavirus crisis. As a result, a team of faculty, staff, students, and friends of the University began planning the virtual celebration immediately.
“We knew better than to try to copy the traditional ceremony at Alumni Field,” said Dr. Francine Edwards, co-chair of the planning committee. “So we set out to create a memorable and surprising experience that the Class of 2020 will treasure forever as their own unique celebration.”
According to the statement, Nicole Dye-Anderson, a Delaware State alumna and Barclays Bank executive, played a major role in securing a number of featured guests. “DelState gave so much to me. Whatever I can do to show my appreciation will be done. I am proud to work for a company that knows the value of HBCUs and gives me the freedom to help showcase them around the world,” she said.
The University’s commencement, which will be broadcast on the ESSENCE Studios platform, will be followed by another virtual event sponsored by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), which will combine 75 HBCUs for a joint commencement ceremony.
“We are excited that graduates from our member-schools will receive the public recognition that they earned and deserve. This celebratory event is an effort to lift-up all HBCU students and to let them know that we are proud of their hard work and perseverance, especially during these difficult times,” said TMCF CEO and former DSU President Harry Williams.
Graduating DSU senior Usman Tijani, whose mother has been diagnosed with COVID-19, said she is looking forward to the event.
“In an instant, I went from graduating senior trying to complete everything to get to the finish line, to head of household trying to take care of my son, little brother, and mother. As a Hornet for life, I’m looking forward to this year’s commencement and, more importantly, what happens next.”
Actor Michael K. Williams and The Cast of “The Wire” Are Helping NYC Youth Find Summer Jobs
Michael K. Williams knows first-hand how tough it can be to get through a New York City summer. Growing up in Brooklyn’s notorious Vanderveer Projects (today known as “Flatbush Gardens”), the Emmy Award-winning actor faced more than the sweltering heat and smog.
“The summer is almost here, y’all. And everybody from the hood knows that when school gets out, the murder rate goes up,” said Williams, referring to the correlation between heat and crime in a video posted on Twitter. “It was true when I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn and it is still true today.”
The Wire star continued, speculating that crime rates may be even higher in the Big Apple this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to slash funds originally allocated towards its summer youth program. Nearly 75,000 young people mostly from low-income communities of color depend on the program to find work in both the private and public sectors each summer.
“With all of the city budget cuts gutting all of the opportunities for kids in my community to have something to do or to earn a couple of dollars to take care of themselves and sometimes even their families over the summer, I’m afraid this year it’s going to be even worse,” said Williams.
To help curve the rate of violence, the Boardwalk Empire actor teamed up with NYC Together to launch a program that aims to keep inner-city youth off the streets by giving them jobs. The virtual summer youth employment program will hire teens from across New York’s five boroughs to provide education and information to the nearly 500,000 residents living in New York City Public Housing. “The program will consist of culturally appropriate and informative campaigns that educate members of the Black and Latinx community about Covid-19 and will give youths the opportunity to work in tandem with health experts, law enforcement, and community-based organizations in an immersion program to produce creative solutions to challenges presented by the health crisis,” reads a statement.
To fund the program, NYC Together launched a GoFundMe charity campaign to raise $75,000. All donors will qualify to win a private Zoom call with the cast of The Wire, a Zoom lunch with actress Lana Parrilla, or a Master Class with comedian and actor George Lopez.
“Money is freedom,” said Williams, “and money will help ease the burden on their parents to pay for things like food, medicine, and all other costs that come with this COVID outbreak. So let’s flatten the curve.”
Here with an important message for y’all about Covid & its impact on NYC’s Black and Latino youth.
To help them stay safe & healthy this summer, DONATE to @NYCTogetherOrg & you could win a private Zoom with me & other folks from The Wire!
Armed Volunteers Escort African American Lawmaker to State Capitol After Anti-Quarantine Protest
An African American female lawmaker was escorted to the Michigan Capitol Wednesday by an armed security detail of volunteers following an anti-quarantine protest.
According to Blavity, Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-MI), was escorted to the capitol by an all-black entourage, at least three of whom were carrying rifles. Anthony said she didn’t ask for the escort but felt comforted by the presence after what happened last week.
“We were all just appalled by the lack of support and lack of security that I had, that other legislators had,” Anthony said to Blavity. “And the fact that a lot of the demonstrators last week were adorning many racist, anti-Semitic signage. I think it just triggered a lot of folks, especially African Americans.”
On April 30, anti-quarantine protesters stormed the capitol, and in a recording Anthony posted to Facebook, many of the protesters were carrying rifles and assault weapons. The protesters were organized against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay at home order.
Many of the protesters were pushing the governor to reopen the economy in the wake of job losses and store closures. However, the protests have also attracted a wide variety of groups dedicated to other causes, such as gun-rights activists and white supremacists.
Michael Lynn Jr., a firefighter and community activist, organized the armed detail for Anthony after watching the video she posted to Facebook. Lynn said the Neo-Nazi and white supremacist signs he saw bothered him.
“I could hear the fear in her voice during that protest,” Lynn said. “It was the visual of her being that scared to go to work. It meant we had to do something. We came out here today to make sure we could provide some protection, even if it’s only just to make her feel better.”
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan Capitol Commission is now investigating whether guns should be allowed inside the Capitol. Open carry is currently allowed inside the building.
Healthcare workers and anti-quarantine protesters clashed last month in Denver, and Facebook has begun removing anti-quarantine events from its site.
“Unless government prohibits the event during this time, we allow it to be organized on Facebook,” spokesman Andy Stone said. “For this same reason, events that defy government’s guidance on social distancing aren’t allowed on Facebook.”
Protests in Indianapolis After Police Kill Three Adults in Separate Incidents
People in Indianapolis took to the streets to protest the three recent killings by police officers within several hours, according to The Associated Press.
Indianapolis police officers shot and killed two men and fatally struck a pregnant pedestrian in three different incidents that took place just hours apart. The first two incidents involved the killing of black men. The third occurred when a police officer hit a pregnant white woman with his vehicle.
Officials said that both black men exchanged gunfire with officers, adding that the second shooting early Thursday morning could have been an ambush on the police. None of the police officers involved in the shootings had a body camera or dash camera footage of either incident.
The pregnant woman was walking along an expressway ramp when an officer driving to work struck her with his vehicle.
The shooting victims of the police officers were 21-year-old Dreasjon Reed and 19-year-old McHale Rose. Reed was shot on Wednesday evening after driving recklessly on the highway and then being chased on foot by the police.
Rose was killed a couple of hours later in a confrontation with police after officers came to an apartment building to investigate a reported burglary.
In the third incident, 23-year-old Ashlynn Lisby was struck and killed by an officer who was driving to work while she was walking along an expressway ramp. Lisby was pregnant. Her unborn child did not survive the killing.
The first killing was being live-streamed to Facebook Live, unbeknownst to the police officers. One of the officers, allegedly standing over the dead body, remarked, “I think it’s going to be a closed casket, homie,”
“Let me be clear, these comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of our police department,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor said during a press conference Thursday,
“We’ll be pursuing immediate disciplinary action against that officer,” said Taylor, who assured reporters that the investigations into the deaths will be thorough and transparent.
“I hope you understand that I’m one that is willing to acknowledge that if we made mistakes here, we will address them,” he said. “But let the investigation run its course before we jump to conclusions—either on our side or on the community’s side.”
Tips to Raise Your First Million Dollars From a Black Woman Founder Who Just Did It
The narrative of black founders, especially a black woman founder, struggling to raise venture capital for their businesses has become all too familiar.
But there are those who are finding success. Cherae Robinson, the founder of travel tech company Tastemakers Africa, closed on a $1.6 million seed round of funding in October of 2019.
The round was led by Precursor Ventures, and Robinson credits its founder and managing partner with not only giving Tastemakers the cash it needed to build out its marketplace of travel experiences but giving it credibility with other VCs.
“Having Charles Hudson, who is an African American investor that has a lot of respect in the venture community, also sort of de-risked it for people,” she says.
Other investors in the round included Pipeline Angels, Flybridge Capital Partners, and former Expedia CEO Erik Blachford.
In an exclusive interview with Black Enterprise, Robinson shares how she got comfortable with herself as a founder, did the work, leveraged her network, told her story, and raised the money she needed:
Prepare for a Bumpy Ride
It wasn’t easy. And I think we all kind of know that in our community, it’s not easy. We were really fortunate to have Precursor Ventures back us over a year ago. At the time, I was like I’m going to go out and raise the rest. And I couldn’t. Other people were like what, Africa? Travel? Nah. But I think that persistence is probably why we landed, and just literally being so committed to this vision and that this platform needed to exist in the world that I just wasn’t willing to stop unless I absolutely had to. We had so many close calls where we’re like, oh my gosh, we’re going to run out of runway, it’s not going to work. But there’s always been some moment where we had a breakthrough.
Build Your Business While You Wait
In going through so many iterations of a business where I didn’t have all the money I would have liked at my disposal, I had to really really learn our customers, and I had to get super scrappy with building what could work. So I learned to be iterative and I learned to be testing and experimenting all the time. And to use that process for market testing, market education, and proof of concept. And I learned to trust my instincts, as well. That was really helpful in us being able to do the most with the least during those years where we weren’t venture-backed.
Lean Into Your Network
The Expedia guy, Erik Blachford, I messaged Erik on LinkedIn for four years before he ever responded to me. It just so happened that in that fourth year when he responded, we were able to get on a phone call and he made the decision to invest instantly. But it was, like all of these things were, like planting seeds along the way.
Learn to Tell Your Founder Story
I finally got out of my own way when it came to storytelling. For the longest time, I would go into pitches scared to talk about the group travel business because I knew having a group travel company was not going to be venture bankable. So I told this story: we’re launching the marketplace, this is why this is the business model, this is our traction. But it was missing why we were the ones to make it happen. And so at some point, I embraced it all. I said you know what, yeah our trips platform didn’t have a bunch of fancy tech behind it, but we punched above our weight as a brand by bringing small groups of people to the continent, and that experience counts. And I said, look, I’ve been building this business for three years now. I started out essentially as a tour company, which means I know the ins and outs of how to deliver an experience better than anyone else on this continent. Once I figured out how to tell that story, fundraising became a lot easier.
Get Comfortable With Yourself
I think the biggest reason I was able to be successful in my raise is that I stopped trying to be somebody else. I leaned into yes I started as a group travel company, and yes it was doing tours, and yes I was leading them myself, and yes I’m black, and yes I’m only talking to black consumers. I just decided to be my own version of myself versus trying to fit into some mold of what a tech founder needed to look and seem like.
Steve Harvey to Host a Virtual Mentoring Program Aimed to Ease Anxiety for Young Men Amid COVID-19
Young people are facing a number of challenges as they stay home and practice social distancing. Being out of school and the uncertainty about when they will get back into the swing of things is stressful to many students. Hoping to ease anxiety for young boys, in particular, Steve Harvey is hosting a virtual mentoring program in response to trauma caused by COVID-19 through the Steve Harvey Mentoring Program.
The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation provides youth outreach services that cultivates the next generation of responsible leaders by providing educational enrichment, mentoring, life transformation skills, and global service initiatives. We strive to be the change-agent in fostering excellence in the areas of education, health, and social well-being in urban and diverse communities; ensuring that the needs of the whole family are met.
Created by Steve Harvey in 2009, The Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men annually selects fatherless teens, ages 14–18, from a large pool of applicants from across the United States. By way of the national camp and regional programs, The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation impacted more than 3,000 families in 2019.
(Image: Steve on Watch/ Facebook)
Harvey recently surprised his mentees with “Mentoring Mondays,” on social media and received in excess of 3.5 million views impacting families around the world. And last week, he was joined by NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis who shared words of encouragement with the young men.
During the last Mentoring Monday broadcast on STEVE on Watch, Harvey shared the importance of his initiative and supporting young men.
“I know we’re all living in some unusual times during this coronavirus pandemic. To all of the frontline workers, I say thank you for all you’re doing. Y’all know how passionate I am about mentoring young men — especially those who are growing up without a father or male role model in their life,” said Harvey.
“Usually I see some of the boys at my Steve Harvey Mentoring Program for Young Men. This is all part of a new thing I’ve been inspired to do, Mentoring Mondays—offering some guidance to these boys while they’re sheltering at home.”
A recent study polled students aged from 13 to 25 about their current mood in light of the pandemic. The top three results were frustrated, nervous, and disconnected. As students face many insecurities while at home, Harvey and his team are working diligently to support young men.
In addition to his digital efforts, the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation have partnered with Meals on Wheels, Hosea Helps, Chris180, Atlanta Community Food Bank for Atlanta Public Schools, and Bread of Life Inc on their COVID-19 relief efforts.
Tennessee Teenager Killed in Drive-By Shooting Days Before Her Graduation
A Tennessee teenager, who was days away from graduating from high school, was fatally shot during a late-night excursion to McDonald’s, according to The Grio.
Early last Saturday morning, 18-year-old Mya Taylor, a student at Hillcrest High School in Memphis, and two of her friends were seated in a car in a McDonald’s drive-thru line just after 2:30 a.m.. While ordering food, Taylor and her male friend switched seats. A silver and gray sedan pulled up and fired into their vehicle, striking her and the male passenger.
“Her best friend said they didn’t even know they were shooting at the car; they just heard gunshots and ducked down,” Taylor’s sister, Brianne Sweat, told Memphis’ WREG. “My mom received a phone call from my sister’s phone,” Sweat told Fox13 Memphis. ” Her best friend was screaming. She could hardly understand them. The only thing she could understand was that Mya had gotten shot.”
It’s unlikely that Taylor was the intended target. The male passenger was taken to a local hospital and released.
“They said the guy drove up, was hanging out the window with a black hoodie and a black mask covering his mouth and shot up the front of the car,” Sweat told Fox13. “All the bullets were in the front of the car.”
Hillcrest High Schoo posted a Facebook message confirming Taylor was a student and offering their love and condolences to her family.
“The Hillcrest High School family would like to extend our love and condolences to the family of Mya Taylor. Early this morning, we received word of Mya’s untimely passing and still struggling to come to grips with this sad news. Our staff and students will truly miss Mya’s smiling face and pray that her family finds peace in knowing she was loved by many, including her Viking Family.💚🖤💚
“To Mya, rest well Young Queen. You are loved and will be missed!! 👑”
The Memphis Police Department released a statement via its Facebook page.
“On Saturday, May 2, 2020, Memphis Police Officers responded to a shooting call at 1666 Winchester, McDonald’s. Officers located two victims who had been shot while inside a vehicle waiting at the drive-thru. Victim #1’s injuries were fatal. Victim #2 received non-critical injuries.
“A review of security camera video showed the suspect(s) occupying a gray four (4) door sedan.
“The male in the attached photos was seen getting into the suspect vehicle prior to the shooting taking place.”
Sweat has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the memorial service.
83 House Members Call For Relief To Help The United States Postal Service
Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), and 81 additional members of Congress are requesting relief for the United States Postal Service.
In a letter sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the group is requesting “the strongest possible relief for the United States Postal Service in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation.”
“We write to request that any future relief package provide strong financial assistance to the United States Postal Service (USPS) while also enacting reforms necessary for its long-term viability …” Reps. Adams and DeFazio wrote. “In the CARES Act, Congress sought to stabilize our nation from the consequences of the novel coronavirus. Now, as we seek to stimulate our nation, we must take decisive steps to secure one of our country’s oldest, most cherished, and most valuable institutions.
In March, the USPS announced it will run out of money by June 1 if it does not receive funds from the government. President Trump has repeatedly called the agency “a joke” saying the agency is in bed with large tech corporations such as Amazon.
Trump suggested the agency raise prices in order to keep functioning.
“The post office, if they raised the price of a package by approximately four times, it would be a whole new ballgame,” the president said during the signing ceremony for the second coronavirus relief package. “But they don’t want to raise it because they don’t want to insult Amazon, and they don’t want to insult other companies, perhaps, that they like. The post office should raise the price of the packages to the companies. Not to the people, to the companies. If they did that, it would be a whole different story.”
The USPS said it needs as much as $75 billion in cash, loans, and grants to continue running past June.
“Congresswoman Adams knows that the United States Postal Service provides an essential, constitutionally mandated service that is impossible to replicate or replace,” North Carolina Association of Letters Carriers Legislative Liaison Tim Rorie said in the letter. “We need the strongest possible relief for USPS and the letter carriers on the front lines of this crisis. Thank you to Rep. Adams and the 82 other members of Congress standing up to say US Mail is essential: not for sale, nor on the chopping block.”
To make matters worse, many USPS employees have been infected with the coronavirus and are demanding hazard pay as a result.
On Thursday, businessman Louis DeJoy, was picked to head the USPS. DeJoy has no experience in the USPS, but according to campaign finance data from the Federal Elections Commission, he has donated $360,000 to the president’s re-election campaign and about $70,000 to the Republican National Committee.
