by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 24, 2025

Strut To Victory: Nigerian Model Sets Guinness World Record With Epic Catwalk Marathon

It took five days straight for the 26-year-old model to catwalk for over 77 miles.

A Nigerian model has broken an unusual record for the fashion industry. 26-year-old Ololade Ayelabola has strutted for five days straight to break the record for longest catwalk.

Ayelabola spent 80 million naira (or around $51,612.90 U.S.) to complete this quest, wanting to inspire other emerging models. However, the journey did not come easy as she attempted to do what many could not, especially in heels.

According to BBC News Pidgin, preparation for the catwalk of Ayelabola’s life took six months. She and her team worked to ensure she could walk the more than 77 miles needed to win the contest. In the end, she walked a total of 77.75 miles at a fashion show in Lagos last October.

“To prepare for me [was not] easy, [with] blood and sweat, [it] cost us a lot, I spend 80 million naira,” explained Ayelabola. “For six months, me and [the people] begin [to] prepare [because] no be easy thing. Doctor and nurse [had given] medications so I [would be] ready.”

However, what drove her was the initial disbelief and lack of encouragement from other fashion shows to complete the catwalk challenge. Despite negative feedback and rejections, Ayelabola remained determined to reach her lofty goal.

“I go different competition but[ they] tell me say I short. Plenti [people] no fit survive dat [kind of thing], na [what] [motivated] me be dat,” she explained.

As the walk took days, Ayelabola faced some injuries, including her leg peeling. However, her supportive team used bandages with multiple treatments to ensure she could keep strutting down. They even had to place her leg in ice water to stop its swelling.

“On di third day, my leg peel sake of di catwalk, on day four dem bandage my leg and put me for ice water as my leg don swell.”

Although the catwalk took true grit and perseverance, Ayelabola now holds the title for one of fashion’s greatest feats.

100 Black Men of New York, Stock Exchange

by Daniel Johnson

March 23, 2025

One Hundred Black Men Of New York Ring Bell At New York Stock Exchange

The One Hundred Black Men of New York were commemorating of the organization's 45th Annual Benefit Gala.

Members of the One Hundred Black Men of New York were on hand to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in commemoration of the organization’s 45th Annual Benefit Gala and more than 60 years of community activism in the New York City area.

According to a press release shared with Amsterdam News, on March 20 the gala celebrated retired Congressman Charles Rangel, PGA of America Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Price, Resorts World Senior Vice President Michelle Stoddart, and Goldman Sachs Partner Greg A. Shell.

https://twitter.com/NYSE/status/1902812153855287646?s=19

What an honor & privilege to represent @foxweather & @newscorp at the @100BlackMen Gala in NYC!

It was a wonderful celebration of those who help empower, uplift & inspire our future generation.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams!” pic.twitter.com/KqPXBsgWaA
— Michael Estime (@MichaelEstimeWX) March 21, 2025

My first 100 Black Men Gala as a member of this illustrious organization. 60 Years of Black Excellence! Congratulations to all honorees. #100blackmen #2025MembershipClass #partywithapurpose #ChampionsofChange pic.twitter.com/6wqJlVNDJm
— Dr. Mahaliel Bethea II (@DrMBethea2) March 22, 2025

The 45th Annual Benefit Gala is annually sponsored by Enterprise Mobility, United Airlines, News Corp, PGA of America, Hennessy, Healthfirst, and Deloitte. The honoree sponsors for this year’s benefit gala were Goldman Sachs, PGA of America, and Resorts World.

According to their website, the 100 Black Men of New York was founded in 1963 by Robert Mangum, David Dinkins, Jackie Robinson, J. Bruce Llewellyn, Cyril deGrasse Tyson, Charles Rangel himself, Godfrey Murrain, Livingston Leroy Wingate, Andrew T. Hatcher, and Dr. William H. Hayling, among a number of other men, for the purpose of advocating for the improvement of the conditions in the communities they lived in.

Since that time, according to Robert B. Brown, the current president of One Hundred Black Men New York, the group has continually provided support by advocating for investment in communities of color in education, arts and culture, mentoring, economic empowerment, and health and wellness.

Over its lifetime, the group has given almost $400,000 in scholarship money and fed over 40,000 New York City residents during the holidays, in addition to other accomplishments highlighted in its impact sheet.

Per their website, “For over 60 years, One Hundred Black Men has worked with government, corporations, and community leaders to transform economic and social policy, as well as launch independent programs and organizations that serve low-income communities. Our members include leaders across the business, political, and non-profit sectors in New York. The organization provides scholarships, educational support, economic empowerment, mentoring, health and wellness initiatives, and an overall voice for the African American community.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 23, 2025

Target Shuts Down Comments Section On TikTok As Boycotts Over DEI Rollback Continues

TikTok users have flooded Target's account with comments praising DEI-affirming companies like Costco.

Target is attempting to stop the hate train in its TikTok comments section over backlash on its DEI scale-down.

Target recently joined the crowd of other retailers scaling down their diversity initiatives amid Trump’s anti-DEI policies. Since then, many have called for boycotts, while calling out the company’s flimsy stance toward uplifting shoppers and entrepreneurs of color.

This result has led to TikTok users commenting underneath Target’s posts to share their support for DEI-affirming companies like Costco. The backlash has gotten so rampant that Target had to shut down comments on some of its TikTok videos.

@target #TargetCircleWeek ♬ original sound – target

“So target is 5 minutes away & Costco’s 30 min. The way my DEI is setup I’ll be going to Costco’s,” typed a user, as reported by Buzzfeed.

Another commented, “Headed to Costco to diversify my spending. “

“I’d walk 10 miles to Costco before I drive a mile to Target. They never run out of inclusion over there,” wrote another.

Target used to be a major face in the corporate push toward DEI, leaving many to feel slighted by its recent shift away from such efforts. The massive boycotts launched by vocal advocates, from pastors to civic leaders, has also created a dent in the retailer’s profits.

According to Forbes, the company announced that fourth quarter sales dropped 3%, while describing its February topline performance as “soft.” On the popular Feb. 28 Blackout day, Target’s web traffic also suffered a 9% drop.

For many Black shoppers, the importance of where they spend their dollars remains prevalent as ever, as multiple retailers scale back DEI efforts. Some shoppers expressed feelings of “betrayal” especially as Target highlighted a lot of Black-owned brands on its shelves.

“So for them to be one of the companies that is now backing out of DEI, I actually was really surprised and disappointed, and I was like, ‘Oh, Target, I gave you guys all my money,’” explained Dawn Hardy to NBC News.

For some, the reversal was enough to remember their own ancestor’s plight to spark change. One shopper has no plans to ever return to the red circle.

“When I think about our ancestors who boycotted the bus system for over a year, the extreme temperatures and things that they endured, it’s like what, I’m complaining about shopping at Target,” asserted Atlanta resident Jasmin Robinson. “Absolutely not. I don’t ever have to shop there again.”

Kim Scott, Cleveland, City Planner, Felony Theft, Falsifying Documents

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 23, 2025

Butch Carter, Former NBA Player And Coach, Joins Lawsuit Accusing Indiana University Team Doctor Of Sexual Abuse

Carter alleges Indiana's famed coach Bobby Knight refused to take action despite being made aware of the doctor's behavior.

Butch Carter, a former NBA player and coach, has joined the lawsuit claiming a former doctor at Indiana University abused members of the school’s basketball team.

Carter’s account now adds to an amended complaint filed on March 20 against Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr.’s alleged sexual abuse. He is the fifth former player at Indiana to speak on the matter, sharing similar statements that he complained to Indiana’s coach Bobby Knight about Bomba’s suspicious behavior. The original lawsuit was filed in October by two plaintiffs.

“I am proud to come forward and I hope that other IU basketball players will come forward to share their experiences publicly,” Carter said in a statement obtained by NBC News.

The complaint accused school officials of not protecting student-athletes under Title IX regulations. The law requires all colleges and universities that receive federal funds to ensure students’ protection against sexual assault and harassment.

Carter will now be a plaintiff in the high-profile case, whose defendants include Indiana Basketball’s longtime trainer, Tim Garl. According to the lawsuit, Garl knew about the complaints but failed to take action against Bomba. Carter played on the team from 1976 to 1980.

Carter alleged that Bomba “put on gloves, lubed his fingers and told Carter to bend over the table” and then proceeded to insert a finger into then-coed’s anus in 1979. He also claimed that no other doctors had done this before during a physical exam. However, when he told Knight and other team staffers and administrators about the incident, they shrugged the matter off.

Carter claims he continued to tell his late coach about Bomba’s actions, which reportedly extended to other athletes as well. While he refused to have another exam under the disgraced doctor, Carter felt that Knight never took his concerns seriously.

Carter became increasingly aware that Bomba’s behavior was unwarranted after subsequent exams by doctors within the NBA. Under their care, he had only received one rectal examination after concerns about a swollen prostate.

Now, he joins fellow former UI players John Flowers, Haris Mujezinović, Charlie Miller, and Larry Richardson Jr. as they seek justice for the abuse.

Neither the 88-year-old Bomba nor his team have yet to release a comment on the updated complaint.

Fani Willis, office, evacuated, white powder

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 23, 2025

Fani Willis’ Fulton County DA Office Evacuated After Suspicious Powder Scare

The powder was quickly determined to be nonhazardous.

The office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was evacuated after a package with a white powder was delivered to the premises.

The incident, which occurred on March 21, prompted the removal of all individuals from the third floor of the Fulton County courthouse, where Willis’ office is located. According to the Associated Press, firefighters quickly determined that the powder was nonhazardous.

Instead, a hazardous materials response deemed the powder a starch or salt, allowing the courthouse to reopen the same day. However, the Atlanta Fire Department did note four people were transported to the hospital following complaints of headaches.

Atlanta Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Ronald Slatton shared that it remains unclear who the letter or package was addressed to. He also deemed inquiries about the motive as a question for law enforcement.

However, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they would not investigate the incident further. No other departments, including the Atlanta Police Department, have confirmed investigations into the matter.

After the issue was resolved, Willis’ spokesperson issued a statement thanking the agencies for resolving the potential security threat.

“The District Attorney and her staff greatly appreciate the quick and effective response by Atlanta and Fulton County agencies to the scene to protect our colleagues and the public,” the office’s spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Willis has become a notable prosecutor on a national scale following the multiple racketeering cases launched under her leadership. The most prominent include her indictment against President Donald Trump and 18 others issued before Trump’s second term on his alleged 2020 election interference in Georgia. Although four people pleaded guilty, Willis was removed over issues regarding her personal relationship with another prosecutor, Nathan Wade, whom she appointed to her team. The case has since stalled, with Willis ordered to pay one defendant’s attorney fees.

Willis also launched a RICO case against rapper Young Thug and his alleged YSL gang affiliates. The case became the longest-running trial in Georgia history. Willis recently won her re-election bid for District attorney in November.

by Daniel Johnson

March 23, 2025

Roar Brewing Co., Detroit’s First Black-Owned Brewery Opens

The name of the brewery is a tribute to Detroit's automotive history.

Evan Fay’s Roar Brewing Co., believed to be Detroit’s first Black-owned brewery, is opening on March 23 via a soft launch, with the company’s grand opening set for summer 2025. Fay’s brewery will launch with its flagship flavor, Honey Oat Stout, and the company’s name is a tribute to Detroit’s automotive history.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Fay said as much in a press release, noting that it is his desire for the brewery to take on the spirit of Detroit’s citizens themselves.

“Detroit is home to the Lions, the Tigers, the Pistons, and the Red Wings — teams that roar with pride. But the roar isn’t just in sports. It’s in the city’s engines, its music, its industry, and its people. We wanted our brewery to be a tribute to that spirit,” Fay said.

Fay, a United States Air Force veteran, also owns Detroit’s Café Noir and Chloe Monroe Galleries and all of Nain Rouge Brewery’s assets, including the building now housing Roar Brewing and all of its beer-making equipment.

Fay told the Detroit Free Press that his goal with his brewery company is to make craft beer accessible.

“We’re not trying to be everything to everyone, but we want our beer to be accessible and easy to enjoy,” Fay said.

Fay also told the outlet that like the craft breweries he visited in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Wyoming, he wants the space to become a gathering space for the community.

“When I was in the military and stationed in Wyoming, I would visit breweries in Fort Collins, and I realized they weren’t just places to grab a drink — they were community hubs,” Fay said.

Fay also told the outlet that Roar Brewing had to look outside of Detroit to the National Black Brewers Association because there were no Black craft breweries in Detroit.

“There’s a great ecosystem in Detroit to support small businesses, but in craft brewing, there aren’t as many direct pathways,” Fay told the Free Press. “Typically, you turn to people in your community who have done it before, but with no Black-owned breweries in the city, we had to look outside our immediate circles for guidance.”

He continued, “The challenge is that for a lot of Black entrepreneurs, luxury industries like craft beer haven’t been a priority because people are often focused on essentials first. But we want to change that by making craft beer a space that is inviting, exciting, and approachable.”

According to the National Black Brewers Association, less than one percent of craft breweries are owned by Black people. Before their formation, no entity existed to help Black brewers and brewery owners with needs specific to them.

In 2024, the group introduced the Brewing Equipment Donation Grant Program, an initiative connecting Black and Brown brewers with expensive equipment donated from breweries who no longer need it, an attempt to bridge one of the biggest barriers to thriving Black breweries: a lack of quality equipment.

According to National Black Brewers Association Executive Director Kevin Asato, solving the equipment problem helps Black breweries generate capital they would otherwise have to invest in infrastructure.

“You need capital to purchase half a million to a million dollars worth of hardware and steel. The equipment becomes so significant.…It is the primary reason for capital, right?” Asato said in a press release announcing the program.

international travelers, entry, entry, Trump

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 23, 2025

Entering The U.S.? Think Twice Before Posting About Trump—Your Social Media Could Get You Denied Entry

The issue has led to other nations releasing travel warnings for the U.S.

As Border Patrol officers ramp up searches of phones and social media accounts of visitors arriving in the United States, immigration advocates have called out the legality of the move.

The issue has gained traction as multiple visa holders have reportedly faced denied entry over their social media posts and messages. One notably includes a French scientist who officers denied entry into Houston after seeing messages criticizing President Donald Trump’s cuts to science research. Newsweek reported that the man had a temporary visa to attend a conference until his messages regarding Trump became flagged.

With this heightened security measure that could lead to restrictions on other visa holders, immigration attorneys are warning clients about this risk. One lawyer has urged people to remove any sensitive photos or messages that Border Patrol could find issue with.

“I’ve told my clients to be very careful about their use of electronic devices and bringing electronic devices like phones and laptops through the border, to make sure they haven’t unintentionally saved photos to their phone that might be controversial, even though they don’t think they are,” Elissa Taub, a partner at immigration law firm Siskind Susser in Tennessee, told the news outlet.

She added, “And to be very careful about their actions online in WhatsApp, Telegram chats, things like that. Because if they are detained at the border or held up, CBP may ask to see their devices and they don’t really have a way to keep that from happening.”

However, the Border Patrol has defended its searches, stating officers can seize devices for national security purposes. Given the U.S. government’s stance that the Fourth Amendment rules against warrantless searches do not apply at the country’s borders, CBP can search devices without a warrant. Although rare, with less than .01% of travelers experiencing it, all must comply when asked or face legal action and potential barring from entry.

CBP officers can also log and save device data for up to 15 years. The ACLU encourages all visitors to stay mindful of what information is on their devices. The organization also urged individuals to protect sensitive data through encryptions.

The CBP Department of Homeland Security released a statement on the backlash regarding the searches. The department defended the CBP’s security measures to counteract terrorism while emphasizing its commitment to protect privacy.

“The Department of Homeland Security is committed to protecting individuals’ privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. DHS, including CBP, uses various forms of technology in furtherance of its mission, including tools to support investigations related to, among other things, illegal trafficking on the dark web, cross-border transnational crime, and terrorism. DHS leverages this technology in ways that are consistent with its authorities and the law.”

In the meantime, other nations have encouraged their citizens visiting the U.S. to remain vigilant on these updates, including issuing a travel warning of potential arrest if one refuses entry rules.

by Daniel Johnson

March 23, 2025

Black NYC Lawmakers Push Back On Andrew Cuomo Endorsement Amid Comeback Attempt

Three lawmakers distance themselves from endorsing the former governor of New York despite being listed as supporters.

As Andrew Cuomo, the disgraced former governor of New York City, attempts to make his political comeback, an endorsement of the former governor is being denounced by some Black Queens legislators, even though a press release names them as backers of the former Democratic politician.

According to Politico, the endorsement, even if it does not come with the full backing of the group of eight influential Black lawmakers, is seen as a blow to the candidacy of Adrienne Adams, the New York City Council speaker who is currently trailing Cuomo in both polling and fundraising.

As New York State Sen. Leroy Comrie told the outlet, “I told them from the beginning, I wasn’t voting for him,” regarding Cuomo, despite a press release that announced the bloc of support for the ex-governor on March 22.

Sen. Comrie continued, “Just look at his history with what he did with us Democratic senators. Look at his history with COVID, to veterans, closing Creedmoor [Psychiatric Center] putting more homeless in the street. There’s a litany of things that he’s done that have not been helpful to working people. I’m an Adrienne guy.”

In addition to Sen. Comrie’s remarks, New York State Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson and New York City Councilmember Nantasha Williams also broke ranks with the group supporting Cuomo, which included New York State Sen. James Sanders, Assemblymembers Clyde Vanel, Alicia Hyndman, Larinda Hooks, as well as Selvena Brooks-Powers, a New York City Councilmember.

Cuomo will need the support of the Black voters each of the legislators represents if he is to win the mayoral race, particularly in the case of a run-off election, which Black voters tend to engage with more than the general population.

However, as evidenced by Sen. Comrie’s remarks, Cuomo’s past, particularly as it concerns how he treated Black Democrats when he was governor, could come back to haunt him.

Assemblymember Anderson, a leftist elected with help from the Working Families Party and endorsed civil rights attorney Maya Wiley for mayor in 2021, left Cuomo completely off his ranked-choice personal endorsement list, which he released on March 22.

Anderson told Politico in a short statement that he believed that his record spoke for itself.

Here’s my statement on the upcoming primary election pic.twitter.com/irJmwiD5Lf
— Khaleel M. Anderson (@KhaleelAnderson) March 22, 2025

UPDATE: Bizzare situation

— Leroy Comrie supports Adrienne Adams
— Khaleel Anderson endorses Lander/Adrienne Adams/Myrie/Zohran/Ramos (in that order)
— Nantasha Williams says she’s not backing Cuomo https://t.co/M10RbjhX5I
— Michael Lange (@MichaelLangeNYC) March 22, 2025

Adrienne Adams’ campaign also issued a statement concerning Cuomo’s campaign generally and the confusion generated by the endorsement and some members subsequently walking back their endorsement; Adams (who is not related to the city’s current mayor) hopes to become New York City’s first Black woman mayor.

“It’s sad to see elected officials support a former governor who underfunded schools and closed hospitals in Southeast Queens,” Adrienne Adams’ spokesperson, Lupe Todd-Medina, said in a statement to Politico. “From the start, we knew the Cuomo camp would use pressure and intimidation because Adrienne is the biggest threat to his comeback tour. If they want to waste time playing politics, so be it. Adrienne is focused on restoring competence and integrity to City Hall without the drama, nonsense, or scandal. Adrienne will continue to gather support from the people of Southeast Queens and all communities.”

by Daniel Johnson

March 23, 2025

Former Rep. Cori Bush’s Husband Charged With Wire Fraud

According to federal prosecutors, Cortney Merritts allegedly submitted false paperwork, which led to him being awarded $20,832 in PPP funds.

Cortney Merritts, the 46-year-old husband of former Missouri Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo), has been charged with two counts of wire fraud. According to an indictment filed on March 20 by interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin for the District of Columbia, Merritts allegedly submitted false applications to the Small Business Administration in 2020 and 2021.

According to Fox 2, the indictment is not in any way connected to Rep. Bush’s campaign or her campaign finances but lays out Martin’s case that Merritts “knowingly devised, intended to devise and participated in a scheme and artifice to obtain money and property in connections with applications for EIDL and PPP funds by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.”

Both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans Program (EIDL) were pandemic-era programs intended to help small businesses cope with the stresses of the unique burdens thrust upon them by the pandemic.

According to federal prosecutors, Merritts allegedly submitted false paperwork, which led to him being awarded $20,832 in PPP funds. He later asked that those loans be forgiven, a request the government granted, in addition to any interest Merritts may have accrued.

Per The Washington Post, Merritts’ lawyers, including Justin Gelfand, said their client intends to plead not guilty.

“As with any indictment, this is only the Government’s version of the story. We look forward to litigating this case in the courtroom,” Gelfand said.

Although the investigation into Merritts appears to have begun under the Biden administration, the Trump administration, which has positioned itself as an arbiter against corruption, seems to want to conclude it.

According to federal prosecutors, “Merritts used the proceeds for his personal benefit and enjoyment,” and the indictment is not connected to a separate complaint against Rep. Bush, which argued that her campaign’s employment of Merritts violated federal election law and was dismissed by the Office of Congressional Ethics in Fall 2024.

According to KRPS, the Department of Justice announced in April 2024 that it had charged more than 3,500 people with pandemic relief fraud, and then-Attorney General Merrick Garland indicated in a press release that the Department of Justice’s work was not done.

“Since I established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force three years ago, we have charged more than 3,500 defendants, seized or forfeited over $1.4 billion in stolen COVID-19 relief funds, and filed more than 400 civil lawsuits resulting in court judgments and settlements,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “Our work is not over. We will continue our efforts to investigate and prosecute pandemic relief fraud and to recover the assets that have been stolen from American taxpayers.”

’Othello’ Producer Brian Anthony Moreland Is Not New To This, He’s True To This

by Alfred Edmond, Jr.

March 23, 2025

’Othello’ Producer Brian Anthony Moreland Is Not New To This, He’s True To This

Moreland’s love for theater began in elementary school.

Broadway producer Brian Anthony Moreland’s love for theater began in elementary school.

“I did my first play in the third grade,” Moreland shares as a featured guest of Beyond The Hype with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“The play was an elementary school revue called Be What You Want To Be, and I was Santa Claus. I don’t remember the performance itself; that memory does not live in my mind. But the beginning, going to start it, standing on the stage, and ending on the stage, that memory I have, and I knew when I was done with that, that I wanted to be in theater.”

That alluring magic of raising and closing curtains has led Moreland to success beyond anything he could have imagined as a third grader. Today, the native Californian is a New Yorker and the lead producer of the highly anticipated Broadway revival of Othello, featuring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, and directed by the acclaimed Kenny Leon, which opens on March 23 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre after setting all-time ticket sales records in previews. In Othello, Washington in the title role and Gyllenhaal as Iago deliver powerful performances in one of Shakespeare’s most searing tragedies—brought to life by two of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.

With Othello, Moreland is the only Black lead producer on Broadway this season. He has distinguished himself as a visionary lead producer for theatre, film, and television. With two Tony Award nominations, Moreland’s triumphs as a producer on Broadway include the critically acclaimed production of The WIZ, featuring the talents of Wayne Brady and Deborah Cox; August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson, which became the highest-grossing revival of the season and starred Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks, and John David Washington; The Lifespan of a Fact, featuring Cherry Jones, Daniel Radcliffe, and Bobby Cannavale; Sea Wall / A Life, a dual narrative starring Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge; and The Sound Inside, a compelling drama headlined by Mary-Louise Parker.

Moreland’s journey in theater was not a straight line into production but via a more scenic route of lessons, relationships, and experiences as he matured professionally in the industry.

“Through the course of theater, I’ve performed on/off [Broadway], national tours, cruise ships, all that stuff, which then led me to having the opportunity to become a line producer on a project with Otis Sallid and Debbie Allen, and I enjoyed it,” says Moreland.

“There was no secret to it. I just enjoyed it. And I then started slowly dipping my toe in as a co-producer and then moving up to a lead producer with my own projects. And so, I think everyone finds their own path and their own journey to becoming a producer. For me, it was more of a progression. I just got very lucky. I love it; I love all the facets of theater.”

That love is not an optional luxury to be a lead producer but is practically a requisite for success. Moreland makes it clear that to excel in his profession, he must be just as passionate about the business of Broadway as he is about the art of theater.

“The lead producer is the one who is financially responsible for the production,” Moreland states with flat-out emphasis.

“So I sign my name with the SEC, and I am the one who goes out and I raise the capital for the productions. I have a fiduciary responsibility to get my investors their money back and, if there is an opportunity, to create some profit for them as well.

“But like any investment, it’s always a gamble,” he continues. “One out of every five Broadway shows actually recoup. My job is to blend commerce with art, and hopefully, the two can balance out so that people can still invest in Broadway and have Broadway be something that is really profitable, and they can be proud of it and also produce great art.”

Set your calendar and clocks for Moreland’s Beyond The Hype interview that goes live at 12 pm ET this coming Tuesday, March 25.