Dr. Bill Winston,Scale Up, conference
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by Stacy Jackson

March 13, 2025

Thousands To Gather At Dr. Bill Winston’s 2025 Business And Leadership Conference

Conference guests will learn how to scale their businesses to multimillion-dollar and even billion-dollar enterprises.

From March 21 through March 22, thousands of entrepreneurs, faith leaders, and business professionals will gather in Chicago for the 2025 Business and Leadership Conference hosted by Illinois pastor and visionary leader Dr. Bill Winston.

The two-day conference will celebrate the theme “Scale Up” as men and women of faith from around the world will join in person and online to learn how to start and grow a business, access and execute ideas, and implement effective business strategies. According to a press release, the conference was specially designed to equip the community with tools to reach a higher level of creativity, profitability, and impact.

“There are levels of business success and profitability you can’t reach without God,” said Dr. Winston. “We’re equipping leaders with the vision and know-how—the ‘will and the skill’—to take the lead in creating wealth, transforming the ‘waste places’ in their communities, and training the next generation of anointed business leaders. We are calling all who are chosen for great business ideas, and such ideas need the right environment to be conceived and brought forth. This year’s BLC is the right environment.”

The conference is a curated space for entrepreneurs and like-minded professionals to network and receive invaluable insights into scaling their businesses. Along with Dr. Winston, other globally recognized speakers will address conference attendees and cover topics like finance, investments, technology, and health and wellness. Several serial entrepreneurs will be featured at this year’s Venture Capitalist Showcase and Inventors Showcase. This year’s conference will include a LatinTalks Chicago en Español and Youth Entrepreneurship session. Guests will enjoy a special musical performance by pianist and musical producer Dr. Adlan Cruz.

The 2025 Business and Leadership Conference keynote speakers include Dr. Winston, Global Faith Leader; billionaire businesswoman Dr. Trisha Bailey; Fox Business Network Host and Wall Street Strategies, Inc. CEO Charles Payne; and more.

Dr. Winston is the founder and senior pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois. He has founded over 20 companies and organizations throughout his career, including his nationally accredited Joseph Business School, which hosts the annual Business and Leadership Conference. Ahead of this year’s two-day experience, the school’s Global Alumni Association will hold its “Victory: The Making of Champions” meeting on March 20. The JBS Global Entrepreneur of the Year Award will be announced on March 22.

More details about conference dates and registration are available online. The 2025 Business and Leadership Conference is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.

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Kyrie Irving, SpongeBob x Nike Kyrie 5
(Photo: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 13, 2025

New Kyrie Irving ANTA Sneaker, KAI 2 ‘Solar Return,’ Coming March 23

March 23 is also Irving's birthday.

Less than a month after Kyrie Irving and ANTA released KAI 2 “Artist on Court,” they announced another signature shoe, KAI 2 “Solar Return,” will soon be available.

According to Sneaker Bar Detroit, the sneaker will launch on Irving’s 33rd birthday, March 23. The latest sneaker will have a retail price of $125 and will be available at select ANTA retailers and online.

This special edition of KAI 2 will feature the Dallas Mavericks point guard’s birthdate embedded on the footwear and the phrase “The Journey is the Reward.”

“Artist on Court” was revealed when Irving showcased the sneaker while playing in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The $140 sneaker was released on Feb. 28.

He won’t be wearing his newest sneaker on the court anytime soon. Irving tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings on March 3, ending his season.

Irving appeared on a live stream to let reassure his fans that his recovery has started.

“Just wanted to let you guys know that I’m OK, and I will be OK moving forward,” he said. “It does suck. A lot. I ain’t going to lie to you guys. This one stings for sure.”

Irving was the only NBA player averaging at least 20 points, 40% 3-point shooting, and 90% from the free throw line a game this season. He was averaging 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists before his injury.

“Kyrie is the heart and soul of this team, and he has embraced the city of Dallas as his home and our fans as an extension of his own family,” general manager Nico Harrison said in a written statement. “His work ethic and absolute dedication to his craft it’s cut from the cloth of greats. I know it, I lived it, and I see the same ferocity and passion in him that I saw in Kobe.”

RELATED CONTENT: Kyrie Irving Puts Up $40K To Help 93-Year-Old Woman Keep Her Home From Land Development Company

Iman Shumpert, Teyana Taylor
Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 13, 2025

Teyana Taylor Reaches Multimillion-Dollar Divorce Settlement With Iman Shumpert

Teyana Taylor received a hefty takeaway from her multimillion-dollar divorce from Iman Shumpert.

Teyana Taylor is securing multiple homes, luxury cars, and a hefty seven-figure payout as part of her multimillion-dollar divorce settlement with Iman Shumpert.

The former couple, who were married for eight years, finalized their divorce and agreed on who gets what. As part of the settlement, Taylor will receive four luxury homes worth over $10 million, a one-time seven-figure payout, and several high-end vehicles—a $300,000 Maybach, a $70,000 Mercedes Sprinter, and a tour bus, the Express Tribune reports.

The singer and actress will retain full ownership of her businesses and receive $8,000 a month in child support from Shumpert for their two daughters, Junie and Rue. The NBA champion will also cover their private school tuition, ensuring their financial stability.

Details on the former couple’s split hit the press, forcing Taylor to confirm their separation in an Instagram post where she shared how amicable things remain between them.

“In all fairness, Iman and I are separated and have been for a while. To be 1000% clear, ‘infidelity’ ain’t one of the reasons for our departure,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “We are still the best of friends, great business partners, and are one hell of a team when it comes to co-parenting our two beautiful children.”

However, details from Taylor’s divorce filing later emerged, revealing that she alleged Shumpert struggled with jealousy over her fame, felt insecure when photographers asked him to step aside for solo shots of her, and battled feelings of inadequacy in their marriage. According to court documents, Taylor claimed that Shumpert exhibited “cruel treatment” and “extreme narcissistic behavior” throughout most of their marriage, subjecting her to emotional and mental abuse.

Shumpert’s legal team denied the allegations of cruel treatment and requested that the reason for their divorce be amended to an “irretrievable broken bond.” The former couple officially finalized their divorce in June 2024, but details of their settlement have only recently surfaced.

Meanwhile, Taylor has sparked dating rumors with Mufasa star Aaron Pierre after the two attended the Academy Awards together.

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100 Black Entrepreneurs, Biden, Harris, Funeral, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman,,Marcyliena H. Morgan
(Photo: DIGIcal/Getty Images)
by Jameelah Mullen

March 13, 2025

Celebration Of Life Service for Caleb Wilson To Be Held At Southern University

The 20-year-old died from a fraternity hazing incident, police say.

Southern University will hold a public memorial service on Friday, March 14, in the campus’ F.G. Clark building for student Caleb Wilson, who authorities say died while participating in a fraternity hazing ritual.

A public viewing will be held from noon to 5 p.m., immediately followed by the celebration of life service. 

Wilson, 20, was a junior mechanical engineering major at the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based HBCU. The Louisiana native played the trumpet in the Human Jukebox marching band and was in the process of pledging to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity when he died on February 26.

The incident occurred when Wilson and eight other fraternity pledges were at a warehouse in Baton Rouge, police say. According to police reports, fraternity members wore boxing gloves and hit the pledges in their chests.

The men later dropped Wilson, who was unresponsive, at a local hospital and claimed that he collapsed after he was hit in the chest while playing basketball, according to court records obtained by USA Today.  

The student’s death was “the direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times while pledging to Omega Psi Phi fraternity,” Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Thomas Morse Jr. said at a March 7 news conference.

Four days later, the Baton Rouge Police Department announced that Caleb McCray, 23, had been charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter. He turned himself in on March 6 and was later released on bond. Two other suspects, Kyle Thurman, 25, and Isaiah Smith, 28, were charged with criminal hazing; both men were taken into custody.

Southern University has paused all fraternity and sorority activity for the rest of the academic year. 

Another funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, at the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Kenner, Louisiana, Wilson’s hometown.

RELATED CONTENT: 2 More Southern Students Arrested In Death of Caleb Wilson

Bali, Ohio, arrest, GoFundMe
(Photo: Bill Oxford/Getty Images)
by Kandiss Edwards

March 13, 2025

Funeral Worker Arrested For Castrating Corpse Of Sex Offender

Amber Laudermilk allegedly mutilated reproductive organs of registered sex offender, Charles Roy Rodriguez, before cremation.

A former embalmer accused of castrating the corpse of a sex offender has been arrested, according to NBC.

While working at Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium in Houston, Amber Laudermilk allegedly mutilated the body of Charles Roy Rodriguez. She turned herself in and was granted a $5,000 bond.

Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen addressed the incident, emphasizing the ethical responsibility of funeral workers.

“This case is about two troubled people: the victim, who was a registered sex offender, and the defendant, who is accused of viciously attacking his dead body,” Rosen said. “No matter what one thinks of his life, the law requires that he be treated with dignity in death.”

Rodriguez, 58, died at the hospital of natural causes. He had been charged with sexual assault in 2001.

Constable Rosen acknowledged the strong emotions tied to such a crime but emphasized the responsibility of funeral workers to remain professional.

“I don’t know the suspect’s past, but we have the utmost empathy for anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault or is the family or friend of someone who has been the victim of a sexual assault,” Rosen said. “The facts clearly indicate she was angry, and I hope after this is resolved in the courts, she gets the help she needs.”

The incident occurred in February 2025. An embalming student reportedly witnessed Laudermilk, 34, stab Rodriguez’s body twice in the groin before severing his reproductive organ and placing it in his mouth before cremation.

After the employee witnessed the mutilation, Laudermilk allegedly told them to ignore what had happened.

“You didn’t see anything,” she reportedly said.

Shortly after, another employee entered the room and discovered the condition of Rodriguez’s body. The Texas Funeral Service Commission was immediately notified.

Memorial Mortuary issued a statement expressing remorse and empathy for victims of sexual assault while emphasizing its swift response to Laudermilk’s actions.

“To confirm what has already been reported, this individual concealed her unlawful actions from the owners and managers. We reported this incident to the authorities as soon as we found out,” the statement read.

The funeral home is implementing extended training sessions for employees to reinforce proper policies, procedures, and ethical standards.

Laudermilk faces up to six months in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

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Voletta Wallace, Notorious B.I.G, Biggie Smalls
(Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 13, 2025

Public Viewing Held For Voletta Wallace In Manhattan

The viewing took place at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, the same location where her son, The Notorious B.I.G., held his 28 years ago

There was a public viewing in Manhattan for the mother of The Notorious B.I.G., Voletta Wallace, following her death on Feb. 21, at the same funeral parlor where her son had his funeral service in 1997, almost 28 years to the date after the rapper’s death.

According to The New York Post, the public got the chance to see Wallace for one last time at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on the Upper East Side in New York City. Wallace reportedly died of natural causes while receiving hospice care in Stroudsburg, Pennysylvania.

Many notable people attended the viewing, including former rivals of Biggie’s affection, his wife, Bad Boy recording artist Faith Evans, and the only female in his hip-hop group, Junior Mafia, Lil’ Kim. Diddy’s youngest son, Christian “King” Combs, and Biggie’s children, Christopher Jordan “C.J.” Wallace (Faith and Biggie’s son) and T’yanna Wallace, were also there.

Former Bad Boy recording artist It Is What It Is co-host, Ma$e, was there, as was Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, and RCA Records president Mark Pitts, who co-managed The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie.

Voletta took over the reins of her son’s estate after he was killed in a driveby shooting on March 9, 1997, while attending a music industry function in Los Angeles. With Violetta’s guidance, Biggie’s estate grew from $10 million when he was killed to a reported $160 million today. Nearly two weeks after she died, there were reports of her son’s music catalog being purchased for a reported $100-150 million by Primary Wave.

The music company was looking to buy songs recorded by Biggie and possibly the master and publicity rights, as well as the name, image, likeness, and even voice of one of Brooklyn’s finest emcees. Pitts and Wayne Barrow, Primary Wave’s founder, Larry Mestel, and his business partner, Steve Greener, were negotiating the deal.

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Saxon|Ye, Kanye
Kanye "Ye" West in 2016 (Photo: Scott Dudelson/FilmMagic)
by Kandiss Edwards

March 13, 2025

Ye Closes the Chapter on Another Donda Academy Lawsuit

Kanye "Ye" West continues losing the multiple lawsuits against, now closed, Donda Academy.

Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, has settled a wrongful termination and unpaid wages lawsuit involving his now-closed Donda Academy. The case was resolved weeks before it was set to go to trial. 

The lawsuit, filed in April 2023 by former teachers Cecilia Hailey and her daughter, Chekarey Byers, alleged the school committed multiple health and safety violations and discriminatory practices. The plaintiffs claimed they were terminated in retaliation for raising concerns about the school’s operations and sought over $1 million in damages.

The settlement requires Ye to fulfill his obligations within 45 days, after which the plaintiffs will request the dismissal of the case. The California-based private school opened in October 2021 and officially closed in June 2024. Hailey and Byers also highlighted issues with staff treatment, such as withheld wages and improper payment.

These legal developments come amid a series of controversies surrounding Ye, including allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct and antisemitic remarks. A former Yeezy employee filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, claiming Ye made racially insensitive remarks and engaged in inappropriate conduct.

In December 2024, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on another successful lawsuit against Ye and Donda Academy. Isaiah Meadows, a former instructor for the academy, relocated to Los Angeles in 2020 to work for the academy. He was offered a $165,000 salary and payment for accommodations in the expensive Calabasas area.

Meadows claimed Ye paid for housing for three months before halting payment. The ex-employee said that after he raised awareness of the school’s health concerns, he was demoted, and his pay significantly decreased. The former employee was issued a default judgment.

Furthermore, Ye has faced accusations of discrimination against Black employees. In April 2024, former security guard Benjamin Deshon Pravo filed a lawsuit alleging he was berated and fired for not cutting his dreadlocks and that Black employees faced discriminatory treatment compared to their white counterparts.

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Obama, Tiger Woods
White House Public Domain, Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
by Jameelah Mullen

March 13, 2025

Black Excellence: The Obamas Reportedly Set To Produce Tiger Woods Biopic

Former President Obama and forever-first lady Michelle Obama are preparing to bring an upcoming Tiger Woods biopic to our screens through their production company, Higher Ground Productions. According to Deadline, the Forever First couple is “in talks” to partner with veteran producer Irwin Winkler to produce the project. 

The film will be based on Kevin Cook’s book The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played, which was released in December 2024. The book covers the historical moment in 1997, when Woods won the Masters by the largest margin ever, making him the first Black golfer to win a major championship. The book features stories from those who worked closely with the championship golfer, including his caddie, coach, and some of his competitors.

According to Deadline, Reinaldo Marcus Green, the director of the Oscar-winning film King Richard, is in talks to direct the movie. Since launching in 2018, the presidential power couple’s production company has released numerous films, including the dramas American Symphony and Leave The World Behind. The Obamas also partnered with LeBron James to produce  The Starting 5, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives and careers of James and other star athletes. Higher Ground Productions was also behind the hit reality dating show The Later Daters, which followed over 50 singles as they navigated the dating world.

Woods was expected to compete in the upcoming Masters Tournament, which will take place in April 2025. However, he is unlikely to make an appearance at the event. The Hall of Famer announced that he recently underwent surgery for an Achilles tendon injury.

“As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured.”
The champion wrote on X.

“I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab; thank you for all the support,” Woods wrote.

No production details or release dates for the film have been announced.

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Tia Jones
Wikimedia Commons CCA
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 13, 2025

Tia Jones, Former Fiancée Of Kansas City Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy, Obtains Temporary Protective Order

After the district attorney dropped charges against the wide receiver, Tia Jones got the protective order

Although Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will not be charged after he was arrested March 7 on suspicion of an assault against a family or household member by impeding their breathing, his former fiancée, Tia Jones, has received a temporary protective order.

According to Yahoo Sports, after Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick declined to press charges against the Chiefs wide receiver, Jones applied for and received the protective order after investigators heard from several witnesses. She allegedly would not leave Worthy’s home after he asked her to vacate the residence after infidelity had been discovered.

Jones accused Worthy of assault, caused property damage, and scratched the football player’s face. Worthy refused to press charges against Jones.

Her attorney posted a statement via social media confirming that Jones received the protective order against Worthy.

“Today, Tia Jones filed an application for a protective order against Xavier Worthy, based [sic] his violent actions against her culminating on the night of March 7, 2025. Based upon the truthful information provided by Ms. Jones, a judge has granted a temporary protective order on her behalf. She is fully cooperating with law enforcement as they continue to actively investigate the violence that occurred that night.

“Ms. Jones has chosen to use her voice to speak up for herself. In so doing, she looks forward to the facts and circumstances of that night coming to light through the formal legal process, and getting the justice that she deserves. She appreciates the support that she has received thus far.”

Pro Football Talk reported that Worthy’s attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett, also released a statement referring to the altercation.

“We are aware of the civil court (not criminal court) filing by Ms. Jones and her criminal defense team. Mr. Worthy denies each of the allegations by Ms. Jones. Unfortunately, false allegations continue to be made, this time in civil court. Today the accuser returned items stolen from Mr. Worthy’s residence while he was in jail and there are items still missing from when he was incarcerated. Mr. Worthy maintains his innocence and stands by the conclusions of the District Attorney after law enforcement’s review of Ms. Jones’ unfounded allegations.”

RELATED CONTENT: Xavier Worthy Not Charged After Arrest In Alleged Domestic Incident

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