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Showing posts with label Black Enterprise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Enterprise. Show all posts

Thursday, November 12, 2020

This 10-Course Project Management and Data Analysis Bundle is $40 Right Now

You won’t move up in your career if things stay stagnant. As a professional, you should always be learning new skills and picking up new responsibilities. Data analysis and project management are two skills that can propel your career because they’re in high demand in every industry. If you’re interested in learning them, look no further than The Ultimate Data & Project Management Certification Bundle, which is on sale for just $39.99, or 98% off.

What You Will Learn

The Ultimate Data & Project Management Certification Bundle features 10 courses that will teach you how to interpret data to make informed business decisions. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most popular ways is by learning SQL. SQL is a programming language, but don’t let that scare you! Learning SQL will allow you to generate business reports, manage database tables, and more. All of this will be covered in Introduction to SQL Training and Intermediate SQL: Create & Alter Databases.

Once you’re comfortable with SQL, you can branch out to different data analysis tools like Excel or Power BI. Alternatively, you might want to learn the project management side. One of the most popular approaches to project management is Agile. This methodology is used to make software development teams to work more efficiently. Two courses in this bundle will teach you how to handle Agile projects using Jira, a popular project management software used in teams all over the world.

Data analysis and project management skills will make you a valuable asset in any industry. You don’t have to go back to school to learn them either! The bundle can teach you how to use SQL, Jira, and much more to help you become a data and project management guru. Get it now for $39.99, down from $2,000.



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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Find Out How Corporate Racial Equity Programs Could Help Grow Your Business At Black Enterprise’s Entrepreneurs Summit

Months of protests against police brutality and systemic racism shook the world. As a result, corporate America has been compelled to respond to the nation’s history of racial inequities with statements, investments and diversity initiatives. To further tackle such disparities – especially the ever-widening racial wealth gap – many in corporate leadership roles have placed a specific emphasis on the advancement of Black-owned businesses.

But can this renewed commitment from corporate America really level the playing field for Black businesses?

At the virtual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit, an expert panel will tackle this and other questions  during the “Investing In Racial Equity,” session, sponsored by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. The participants include Ted Archer, Executive Director, Global Philanthropy, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.; Jehan Crump-Gibson, Managing Partner, Great Lakes Legal Group PLLC; and Derek T. Dingle, Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer for Black Enterprise.

In developing solutions s to address structural racial inequity, many corporations have started taking a long-term view, according to Archer.

“In this current state long-term investments will get us to the point where we have true equity,” he said. “Corporations thrive, our business community thrives when we all have access to the systems that allow us to be contributors.”

For J.P. Morgan specifically, Archer points to the bank’s recent $30 billion five-year commitment to unlock opportunities for Black and other minority-owned businesses. The commitment calls for providing 15,000 loans of up to $2 billion to small businesses in communities of color; an additional $750 million in procurement spending with Black and Latinx vendors; and a new program to help coach entrepreneurs.

He also referred to the entrepreneurial component of JPMC’s two-year-old Advancing Black Pathways initiative. Its Advancing Black Entrepreneurs Coalition – which includes organizations such as the National Urban league, US Black Chambers, National Minority Supplier Development Council and Black Enterprise as members – advises JPMC officials on outreach efforts and programming like the series of webinars to help Black firms pivot in the current business environment as well as engage in loan readiness,.

Crump-Gibson, whose Detroit-based firm represents a number of startups, says that the corporate commitments are admirable and certainly needed,  but “it’s going to take some time though.” She maintains that at a time when many cash-strapped entrepreneurs continue to lack access to capital and credit, which is crucial after their companies have been ravaged by the pandemic.

JPMC’s thrust may prove to be a real gamechanger given that African Americans represent nearly 13% of the U.S. population but comprise a mere 4% of the nation’s small business owners.

Crump-Gibson maintains, she added, that partnering with Black-owned businesses will also be a critical component in helping these entrepreneurs access the resources they need. “So, we know that these programs are on the way. But I think we have to do a lot more collaborating with the legislature and more institutions like J.P. Morgan Chase,” she said.

In addition to reviewing corporate programs, the session will offer entrepreneurs advice on how to use their firms as platforms to wealth creation, including:

  • Effective ways to manage your business and personal finances
  • Engaging in business succession and estate planning
  • Building assets, such as commercial real estate


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William Kennard Achieves Milestone With Appointment As Chairman Of AT&T

There has been a major milestone in the diversification of corporate board leadership: William E. Kennard has been appointed chairman of AT&T, the world’s largest telecommunications and media company. The appointment holds great significance in that the former FCC Chairman now represents a handful of African Americans who have risen to lead corporate governance at the nation’s largest publicly traded companies.

A member of the BLACK ENTERPRISE Registry of Corporate Directors, Kennard will assume the position at the $181 billion leviathan effective January 2021, upon the retirement of the Randall Stephenson, its current executive chairman of the board.

Among African Americans who currently serve in that leadership role at S&P 500 corporations include Microsoft Chairman John Thompson; Cigna Chairman Isaiah Harris, Jr.; CenterPoint Energy Executive Chairman Milton Carroll; and Merck & Co, Chairman Kenneth Frazier, who is CEO of the pharmaceutical giant as well. Other African Americans who have risen to board chairman positions have been Kenneth Chenault, retired chairman and CEO of American Express; Ursula Burns, former chair and CEO of Xerox; and Richard Parsons, ex-chairman of Citigroup.

 “It’s an honor to be selected to serve as chairman of AT&T’s board of directors,” Kennard said in a released statement. “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Randall for his outstanding leadership and countless contributions as chairman. We wish him all the best.  I look forward to working with our CEO and fellow board member John Stankey and the entire board to continue creating long-term value for all stakeholders – investors, customers, employees and the communities we serve.”

Stephenson said in a released statement: “Bill’s deep knowledge of communications, media and technology, proven leadership and broad experience across capital markets and government uniquely positions him to serve as AT&T’s new chairman. He is an outstanding choice to lead our board of talented directors who possess diverse expertise and experience.”

Kennard has been an AT&T board member since 2014, and currently serves on the corporate governance and nominating committee and public policy and corporate reputation committee.

His career experience and global influence spans government as well as the telecommunications, media and finance industries. He was FCC chairman from 1997 to 2001 and the agency’s general counsel from 1993 to 1997. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union.

Kennard also has held posts with The Carlyle Group, a global asset management firm, at which he led investments in the telecommunications and media sectors, and the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand (now DLA Piper), where he was a partner and member of the board of directors.

He also serves on the boards of Duke Energy Corporation, Ford Motor Company and MetLife, Inc.

 



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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Byron Allen, Nick Cannon, Wayne Brady And John Hope Bryant Among Speakers At Black Enterprise Virtual Entrepreneurs Summit Nov. 12-13

Powerhouse entrepreneurs Byron Allen, Nick Cannon, Wayne Brady and John Hope Bryant will be among the speakers appearing at the annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit, Nov. 12 – 13 — the first time ever  as a virtual conference experience. In partnership with host sponsor Nationwide, the event will expand its reach and impact as the premiere national event dedicated to success of Black entrepreneurs and the growth, profitability and scalability of Black-owned businesses.

Moreover, Black Enterprise will introduce new elements to the event—including live chats with speakers and experts, and an interactive Business Opportunity Showcase—maximizing real-time engagement, coaching, mentorship and networking opportunities for participants and attendees.

The Entrepreneurs Summit will take place on an engagement-driven, content-rich platform with sessions, workshops, and coaching designed to provide attendees with vital instruction and inspiration as well as expand their business network to position their company to access an array of opportunities. Whether operating a B-to-C enterprise or B-to-B company, attendees will discover how to achieve higher levels of success at the nation’s largest gathering of emerging and established African American businesses.

The relevance and urgency of the Entrepreneurs Summit is heightened by the unique challenges presented by the health and economic crises of the global coronavirus pandemic, America’s racial reckoning and a renewed sense of urgency around investing in black entrepreneurship and building black wealth.

Cannon, entertainer and founder of  NCREDIBLE Entertainment; Brady, award -winning, singer/songwriter,  entertainer and improvisor; Allen, chairman, and CEO, Allen Media Group; and Bryant, Chairman & CEO, Operation HOPE will offer their entrepreneurial journeys and strategic insights in a series of fireside chats.

Other speakers include Lick You Silly Pet Products, CEO Barbara Clarke Ruiz; Founders First Capital Partners, CEO Kim Folsom; ACE Petroleum founder and CEO Moses Shepherd; Amazon Web Services; Startup Marketing Leader Denise Quashie; Nationwide Retirement Institute Vice President Kristi Martin Rodriguez; The/Studio Technologies Founder Joseph Heller; Grace Eleyae, CEO of Grace Eleyae, Inc.; Sherlaender “Lani” Phillips, Vice President, Channel Sales at Microsoft Corp; Jehan Crump-Gibson, Managing Partner, Great Lakes Legal Group PLLC; and Ted Archer, Executive Director, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Other sessions and highlights of the Entrepreneurs Summit:

  • Investing in Racial Equity: Will Corporate America Level the Playing Field for Black Business
  • Building Wealth as You Build Your Business
  • Stay Ready: Preparing for Any Crisis
  • Securing Your Supply Chain
  • Making E-Commerce Easier
  • Capitalizing from Cultural Currency and Social Influence
  • Getting Your Slice of the Procurement Pie
  • Power Up! Partner to Innovate and Grow Your Tech Business
  • …. And More!

The Entrepreneurs Summit will leverage a powerful cadre of the nation’s most insightful and innovative entrepreneurs and founders—including those ranked among the BE 100s, the nation’s largest black-owned businesses. Results-driven panels and one-on-one keynote sessions with entrepreneurs and business leaders will empower, inspire, and equip attendees with the tools, resources, and connections to achieve launch, profitability and scale for their businesses.

“The Entrepreneurs Summit Virtual Experience will feature all of the most enduring and valued elements of the premiere national event for black entrepreneurs, founders and business owners,” says Black Enterprise President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. “We are excited about our ability to use our new and unique virtual conferencing platform to reach and engage more Black entrepreneurs than ever before. The COVID-19 economic environment is both fraught with challenges and rich with opportunity, and the Entrepreneurs Summit Virtual Experience is designed for those who want to be ready for both.”

In addition to Entrepreneurs Summit Host sponsor Nationwide, Presenting sponsors include J.P. Morgan Wealth Management; Platinum sponsor includes: Microsoft; Corporate sponsors include Amazon Web Services, Comcast, FedEx, Remy Martin and Walmart.



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Monday, November 9, 2020

This 12-Year-Old Is Set To Become One of The Youngest Composers For the New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Teaching music to children has been said to offer positive growth during their early development. For one Brooklyn girl, her love for music led her to continue her dream toward composing original work while achieving remarkable milestones.

Grace Moore is a young musician who is poised for greatness and achieved a huge milestone this week. WPIX 11 reported that the seventh-grader is one of the youngest composers to enter the New York Philharmonic. Moore is enrolled in the organization’s Very Young Composers program designed to teach participants as young as 8-years-old how to create original scores. The members of the program will also get to see their work performed by professional musicians in the orchestra.

The student body of Poly Prep in Brooklyn congratulated their fellow student on its Twitter page to celebrate the high accomplishment. “#PolyPrep is so proud of seventh-grader Grace Moore ’26” the school wrote in a tweet. “Hear her beautiful music composed as part of the NY Philharmonic Very Young Composers program.”

 

In October, Moore was able to make her debut with the orchestra in a live performance she created for the program. The music organization shared a video of the performance featuring Moore in attendance to hear her music come to life on its Instagram page.

 



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Saturday, November 7, 2020

Homeless Student From Florida to Graduate High School as Valedictorian of His Class

Martin Folsom, an 18-year old high school senior student from Florida, is graduating as valedictorian of his class despite the challenges of being homeless over the years.

“It’s been a rocky road, a lot of hardships. But seeing myself now about to graduate, about to go to college — it feels good knowing all the stuff I’ve done was worth it,” Folsom said in a video featuring the 2020 graduates of Duval County Public Schools.

Folsom, who is graduating from A. Philip Randolph Career Academies in Jacksonville, says that he wants a better future for him and his family and it is what inspired him to strive harder to finish as valedictorian.

Aside from excelling academically, Folsom also served as the president of the class from his freshman to senior year. His classmates turn to him if they need help and trust his advice.

Folsom is very grateful for his mother who was with him throughout the hardships that he faced living in shelters. He said he wouldn’t have made it to the top of his class without his mother and the other people around him who helped him.

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, graduations for the class of 2020 has been canceled. But Folsom didn’t let it put his spirit down.

“Take advantage of any opportunity you can because you never know where it’s going to take you,” he said during an interview with CBS 47.

Moreover, Folsom is planning to attend Valdosta State University in Georgia to study accounting and finance. He is apparently the first one in their family to enter college.

This article was originally published by BlackNews.com.




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NYPD Anti-Discrimination Chief Under Investigation For Posting Racist Comments On Police Message Board

The Chief of the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) Workplace Discrimination Office has been relieved of his duties and placed on modified duty after a City Council investigation discovered hundreds of racist, anti-semitic, homophobic comments on a police message board.

The investigators believe that between July 2019 and September 2020 Deputy Inspector James Kobel sent hundreds of offensive messages on The Rant “Law Enforcement Rant” message board. Kobel’s messages attacked Black people, Muslims, the Hasidic Jewish community, and the LGBTQ community with extremely derogatory language under the name of “Clouseau.”

According to NBC 4 New York, Kobel referred to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark as a “gap-tooth wildebeest,” and made jokes about Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome. Kobel also called former President Barack Obama a “Muslim savage” and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s son, Dante, a “brillohead.”

De Blasio commented on the news about Kobel, saying if the allegations are true, Kobel will be fired.

NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea also has harsh words for Kobel calling his actions “abhorrent” and “utterly disgusting.”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo questioned why the message board exists in the first place, saying the comments are widespread, but no one in the department has done anything about it.

Kobel did speak to the New York Times and said it was not him who sent the messages, but he added that the allegations alone are enough to end his career.

“Nonetheless, despite my denial, it will likely end my career,” Kobel told the Times. “Where do I go to get my reputation back?”

Kobel has been in the NYPD for more than 25 years and served as the second-in-command in the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office for four years before being elevated to commanding officer earlier this year.

The EEO office is responsible for preventing and investigating employment and harassment claims. The office has recently allowed officers to wear religious head coverings and provided lactation rooms for NYPD officers who are also mothers.

City Council investigators linked the messages to Kobel by matching information in the “Clouseau” messages to publicly available details about Kobel’s life and career. Investigators found both Kobel and Clouseau joined the force at the same time, held the same rank last year, and served in the same NYPD Housing Bureau as former Chief Joanne Jaffe, among other similarities.



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Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Create A Unique, Private Business Phone Number With This App For Just $20 A Year

Many small business owners use their personal phone number as their business’s primary point of contact, but this can be quite confusing if you want to keep your business and personal life separate. That’s why it’s recommended that every business, whether it’s brick-and-mortar or 100% digital, gets a separate phone number to handle business inquiries. 

That doesn’t mean you need to buy a second phone plan, let alone a new phone. With Hushed, you get a second, private phone line with a unique number that you can use for public use while keeping your personal phone number hidden. Plans start at 6,000 SMS messages and 1,000 talk minutes per year, which you can get for just $19.99 with this deal

Hushed is a secure, app-based private phone line service that works on iOS and Android devices. You’ll get a new phone number to make calls, send texts, and customize voicemail with the option to choose from over 100 different area codes across the US and Canada. You can even conduct all of your communications through Wi-Fi so you don’t incur service charges. Best of all, you can enjoy all of these features without signing up for a new, expensive phone plan from your mobile provider. 

If you want to run your business professionally, it’s best to separate work and play. That includes having a separate phone number for your business. With Hushed, you get a private phone line that works on your current mobile device without committing to an expensive new phone plan. Plans start at $19.99 per year and go as high as $59.99 for 12,000 SMS messages and 2,500 minutes per year. 

Prices subject to change.



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Monday, November 2, 2020

7 Critical Skills Entrepreneurs Need to Stay Resilient in the New Normal

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses across all industries around the world has made resilience more relevant and necessary today. A resilient leader knows how to make tough decisions for the organization and also to reach out to the team to address their changing needs. Resilience involves developing critical skills entrepreneurs need so that they can get back on their feet despite the crisis and make the necessary changes to overcome the challenges faced by their businesses.

Read on to learn the critical skills entrepreneurs need must have to stay resilient in the new normal. 

7 Critical Skills Entrepreneurs Need to Become Resilient

Remote Team Management

Many workplaces abruptly adapted to a remote work arrangement, and it looks like remote work will be here for the long run. But remote work doesn’t just involve giving company laptops and internet connections to employees. 

Remote work also involves recreating necessary workplace interactions and practices to encourage productivity. Why conduct an entire video conference when you could just send an email? Talk to your team about appropriate work hours to set a healthy work-life boundary even if everyone is working from home. No one should be made to respond to a work-related call when they’re about to have dinner. 

Likewise, 60% of employees really value flexibility about when they work. For example, parents who are working from home may need more time to care for their children. So you can consider offering flexible remote work hours but still setting core hours if your team needs to meet up online for collaboration. 

Cultural Intelligence

The companies that can quickly recover from any crisis are often the ones that have leaders who value resilience. A resilient organization designs its business structures and operations to ensure that it can accomplish its needs and meet its goals despite a crisis. 

But such a perspective requires a cultural shift that starts at the top of management. Key decision-makers need to start the cultural shift and craft policies that align with the new needs brought about by COVID-19. 

Entrepreneurs with business leadership degrees have an advantage. A business school teaches critical skills entrepreneurs need such as crisis management and resilience which you can hone once you start your own business. 

If you’re a team leader, it’s your duty to foster a work culture of open communication among your employees. Encourage your team to speak up, ask questions, bring up potential problems, and offer suggestions in order to become resilient in the organization. 

Effective Communication 

Communication is a two-way street. A good business leader knows how to listen to the needs of their employees and clients and to explain any new company processes and policies. 

When you know how to listen, you get to notice details that others may have missed. You may even use this information to your advantage in order to communicate the needs of employees to upper management and even to your customers. Learn to communicate clearly, coherently, and concisely. 

Good communication skills allow you to express yourself in order to ask for what you want from all major stakeholders in the company. No one wants to add to the confusion of the pandemic by offering unclear requests or instructions. Lack of communication may result in wasted resources, and waste is something businesses are avoiding during a crisis. 

Shippo shares informative posts for small businesses coping with COVID-19. 

Project Management

Remote work raises issues of productivity loss among employees. But that doesn’t have to be the case. You need to communicate with your team and come up with clear definitions of organizational productivity. 

As you provide your team with the tools and work hours they need to accomplish their goals, you should also determine the targets you need to achieve for a specific timeline. Workplace productivity tools like Trello, Slack, or the office suites from Google or Microsoft help you keep track of and monitor your team’s productivity. 

Make the most of tools that let you save templates and processes, such as survey templates when onboarding new customers or clients or automation processes from apps like Zapier. This saves you the precious time you could be using to grow your business and do work that really moves the needle.

Risk Assessment

Business leaders are all too familiar with risk, since starting your own business is a risk in itself. How you view a difficult situation can worsen the crisis worse or minimize it. 

That’s why risk assessment is another one of the critical skills entrepreneurs need to stay resilient in the new normal. You should conduct a business risk assessment to determine the core functions and key players in your business. This way, you will have a better understanding of the state of your business during the crisis. 

Which parts are most affected? What opportunities can you seize to meet the changing demands of customers? How can you adjust work to benefit your staff and your customers? 

A resilient business leader doesn’t panic during a crisis. Identify the things that you can control and take decisive action toward addressing these problems. 

Trend and Data Analysis

Customer needs are changing during the crisis. It’s natural that people who are stuck at home may need things to keep them occupied and entertained at home. Searches for sanitation products, news sources, and food recipes increased but travel and tourism searches dropped.  

By keeping track of industry trends during the pandemic, you can stay on top of growing SEO trends for 2021 as well and use this data to your advantage. You should plan out your marketing strategy and target trending terms to drive traffic to your website. 

Time Management

Another one of the critical skills entrepreneurs need to build resilience is knowing how to respond quickly and to adapt rapidly to a disruption in your business. Plus, you must also know what decisions to make in order to restore your business to a stable functioning state. It’s not resilience if it takes you too long to adjust and make decisions, much to the loss of the organization and employees. 

Key Takeaways

The good news is, every business leader can learn how to be resilient when their organization faces a crisis. Even if you lead a small team, you need to step into the role of the adaptive and forward-facing CEO. Follow the tips above to polish up your entrepreneurial skills and keep your business surviving and also thriving.



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The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund DMV Plans to Invest $300,000 in Local Community Activists

The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund DMV has announced in a press release the formation of the Black Justice Fellowship, in partnership with the D.C.-based nonprofit GOODProjects.

Ten Black leaders who represent the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia area will be selected to receive monetary and meaningful support to assist with their activism. Each fellow will receive a personal grant of $30,000 to support their living expenses for a year. The nominations for the first cohort are now open and can be submitted via an online form at www.blackjusticefellows.org.

The initiative is being led by visionary committee leaders Angela Rye, Linda Wilson, Tonia Wellons, Cherrelle Swain, and Darius Baxter.

“Black leaders have been actively working for years to create a more just America, yet too many are underestimated, underfunded, and underrepresented,” says fund co-chair Baxter in a written statement. “We declare the success of Black leaders will not be determined by how much they can fundraise or their proximity to whiteness.”

Co-Chair Wellons also states, “Historically, we know that there has been an under-investment in Black leaders who are on the front-lines of fighting for justice and equality. We are excited to help scale the work of emerging leaders in the Greater Washington region by providing financial support so they can continue to live while they lead. This initiative will help elevate the voices of Black leaders and invest in solutions led by Black leaders to fuel their efforts to address structural and systemic racism.”

The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund (DMV) has been funded by the Bridge Alliance Education Fund and Greater Washington Community Foundation. This local initiative stemmed from the national Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, which was launched from a partnership between many philanthropic organizations across the country.

“We are pleased to support communities and leaders in the Washington, D.C. area by partnering with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to provide resources to Black leaders at the forefront of community work that is strengthening our communities and our nation,” says David Nevins, chairman of the Board of Bridge Alliance Education Fund.



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Sunday, November 1, 2020

Entrepreneur Opens Houston’s 1st Black-Owned Drive-In Movie Theater

Space City Shows, the first and only Black-owned drive-in movie theater in Houston, Texas, is open for business. 26-year old Khairi Sharif says he launched the venue to provide entertainment in the midst of the pandemic for people who love going to the cinemas just like him.

“I enjoy going to the movies, whether it’s to see a new movie or even an old movie,” Sharif told Chron. “You know, the blue ICEE, some nachos, some candy. I wasn’t able to do that with coronavirus going on. So my mind got to wandering, and I thought of [starting] a drive-in movie theater.”

From there, Sharif began searching for a location and pushed through with the process of acquiring movie licenses and finalizing other paperwork to make his dream theater come true.

As the city’s newest pop-up drive-in movie theater, Space City Shows is located at 2300 Runnels Street in Houston’s East Downtown (EADO) area. It offers a wide range of movies, from old to new, that will be shown every weekend. Moviegoers also get to enjoy the skyline view of the city, as well as various food choices from food trucks and a live DJ before and after each film showing.

This article was originally published by BlackBusiness.com.




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Detroit Black Entrepreneur Turned His Semi-Trailer Truck into a Bowling Alley on Wheels

Terence Jackson Jr., an African American entrepreneur from Southfield, Detroit, has converted a 53-foot semi-trailer truck into a bowling alley-on-wheels. It’s called Luxury Strike Bowling and it’s the world’s first ever mobile bowling alley.

Jackson, who is 34-years old, has reinvented the idea of physical entertainment after realizing how companies such as Amazon, Grub Hub, and Uber provide convenience and ease in the shopping, eating, and traveling industry. He thought of making a bowling alley accessible by making it mobile and that’s when Luxury Strike Bowling was born.

“These companies made life easier for people and created economic growth worldwide, and I wanted in,” Jackson told The Detroit News.

Luxury Strike Bowling’s design, which has been years in the making, has a few differences from the traditional bowling alley. Its two automatic bowling lanes are shorter and the bowling balls are smaller, weighing only 3 pounds. The bowling alley also features a scoring system, temperature control, neon lighting, an 80-inch theater screen, a sky lounge, and a state-of-the-art sound system that guests can connect to through Bluetooth.

Building the bowling alley was not without obstacles as it was often slowed by the unavailability of materials due to the pandemic. But Jackson was finally able to launch it last Juneteenth. The alley, which includes a loft that can accommodate 10 to 15 people, is now available for parties, corporate gatherings, church gatherings, and other events in Southfield and other nearby areas.

This article was originally published by BlackBusiness.com.




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Saturday, October 31, 2020

Meet The Men Behind This Premier Champagne and Cognac Brand

Outside of Jay-Z’s ownership in Armand de Brignac brand champagne and NBA legend Isiah Thomas’s Cheurlin brand, there is little diversity within brand ownership in the premier wine category of champagne. Despite the challenges, that didn’t stop these two Black male entrepreneurs from creating a champagne and cognac brand that emulates a life of luxury, even garnering a celebrity following.

Patrick Ductant and William Benson are the founders of Billionaire’s Row, a champagne and cognac brand officially recognized by the French government. The two men noticed the lack of diversity within the field and wanted to create a luxury brand that can stand against their competitors.

“We noticed how much money was being spent within our community but we also noticed that none of that money was going back into our community. We are looking to create economic scholarship funds for other businesses that are looking to disrupt the industry like us,” said Ductant and Benson to BLACK ENTERPRISE via email.

“Billionaire’s Row is one of the very few Black-owned champagne brands to be recognized by both the federal government in France and the United States. With us being pioneers in this, we would love to spearhead a movement for people of color to not only dominate the beverage industry but any industry where there is a void when it comes to us.”

Their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to use their time in quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic to create things they are passionate about to ease their stress. “One beautiful thing about quarantine is that it gave us all a chance to be still, unplug, and clear our minds,” they say. “Many people found this time to think about career goals, creative plans, or even create businesses.”



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Black Lawyer Starts Law Firm With Her Best Friend and Sister

Esteemed African-American Attorney, Shymane Robinson, has launched True Lawyer – a real estate and trademark law firm that helps transform Black communities by helping investors accumulate, protect, and transfer wealth. She started the law firm with both her best friend and sister… proving that women can successfully collaborate in business!

Shymane says that she decided to start her own law practice after her professor advised her she would have to choose between being a great lawyer or mother. “There was no way I could be force to choose between my career or being a great mother,” she comments. “It was at that moment that I knew big law was not for her and that ownership matter.”

With three years under her belt as the leader of True Lawyer law firm, Shymane has grown a widely successful national law firm that focuses on transforming communities by helping investors. She defines investors as anyone who spends money with the expectation of achieving a profit or future advantage.

In honor of Women’s Small Business month, her firm has made the official announcement to give away four free federal trademark applications; a value of over $1,000 each to help women-owned businesses protect their brand. One winner will be announced every Friday starting October 9, 2020.

Please follow the brand on Instagram @TrueLawyer_ to receive more information about this giveaway.

About True Lawyer
Founded by Shymane Robinson, True Lawyer is a Chicago-based real estate and trademark law firm serving clients nationwide. True Lawyer help transform the communities by helping investors accumulate, protect, and transfer wealth. In an age where Black wealth is reported to be $0 by 2053, True Lawyer has established it self as the go-to outlet for affordable flat rate legal services ensuring everyone has access to legal representation when acquiring real estate, starting a business, protecting their business, or transferring wealth.

Accumulating, Protecting, and Transferring wealth is the keystone to shorten the wealth gap in the black community. True Lawyer is one of few law firms that offer flat rate services and make legal representation accessible to clients who do not have deep pockets or qualify for pro bono services. Learn more at TrueLawyer.com

About Shymane Robinson
Shymane Robinson was raised in Chicago, IL. She is an accomplished attorney and real estate investor, and is passionate about helping clients create wealth through real estate and trademark law as it’s the keystone to building wealth. As a real estate investor and small business owner, she understands the importance of purchasing real estate or starting a business as the first step to establishing wealth.

This article was originally published by BlackBusiness.com.




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Friday, October 30, 2020

This Entrepreneur Is Working for Justice and Reform After Police Killed Her Best Friend

As we witnessed the surrealism of the recent cases of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, we can unanimously agree that death by law enforcement has been prevalent for way too long and the time for reform is now.

The question is how much longer will “now” take?

Inside Edition recently chronicled the surrounding details that led up to the 2012 homicide of Shereese Francis, who was killed in her home at the hands of four officers of the NYPD. Her best friend, Sunshine Smith-Williams, along with Francis’ sister and other supporters, has been working tirelessly for the past eight years to get justice and to bring reform–especially at the legislative level.

Smith-Williams, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, youth advocate, public speaker, film producer, and author, says there has been no progress to fix the broken policing system in America. The judicial and American policing system are built off systemic racism because the system was created from an oppressed foundation itself.

“Police officers are supposed to protect and serve. The officers who arrived at my friend’s home entered aggressively, unqualified and untrained to respond to an emotionally disturbed call that should have been handled by a mental health professional. She screamed that she couldn’t breathe just as the late Eric Garner did before he was murdered,” Smith-Williams says.

This pursuit of justice came with a few obstacles and setbacks, such as having no access to view the disciplinary history of the four officers who perpetrated the homicide. The Repeal of 50-A passed by  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo now allows the public to look at disciplinary conduct of police officers. Knowing who these officers were can show the Queens District Attorney that the aggressive behavior may not have been an outlier.

The old adage says “nothing changes, if nothing changes.” The repeal of 50-A, the public murder of George Floyd, and a promise made to the Francis family pushed Smith-Williams to publicly speak out and use her voice as a champion for change. She decided to take action by going after policy changes and wrote a police reform bill, “The Shereese Francis Act.” This bill has been submitted to longtime Queens resident and  New York City Council Member Adrienne E. Adams, who confirmed that she is backing the bill.

Smith-Williams has partnered with Dorothy Toran and Leslie Ferrell of Lauren Grace Media, owned and operated by Toran, a former producer for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Ferrell, a former vice president of production at NBC Universal and Bravo Media. They have a development agreement to create the life story of Shereese Francis. The Francis family was gracious to give their blessings and assist in this endeavor.

“We wanted to tell diverse stories that people of color can relate to. I’m currently involved as co-executive producer and have a moral duty to help shed light on what they’ve done to my friend.” –Sunshine Smith-Williams

Smith-Williams shares advice on how someone can start to seek justice if facing a similar situation:

  1. Seek a civil rights attorney who is willing to get in the trenches and fight for you and with you during this painful ordeal. Please know that proving injustice requires a qualified legal expert. Your attorney must be passionate and knowledgeable of civil rights and policing policies.
  2. Establish relationships within your community. You want to seek justice in legislation then start voting! Are you registered to vote? Voting is your voice, not just for the next sitting president but for your local candidates such as your mayor, district attorney, attorney general, and council members.
  3. Make sure you are actively engaged in your community. Create interactive programs that bridge the gap with community and police. “When visiting my old community or doing community and youth events, I’d like to see more officers that look like me policing my area,” Smith Williams says. “My community-based organization, Investing In Us, has relationships with community leaders, activists, and community affairs from the local precinct.  Having recently graduated with a certification in Family Engagement In Education from Harvard, my professor drilled in that advocating for change really starts at home and the community. The more we’re involved, the more we’ll evolve!”

Finally, Smith-Williams has a few solutions on how we can implement effective police reform within our communities.

  • “I’d reject overly aggressive policing tactics, like “stop and frisk” or those typically employed by police anti-gang units that involve contacting, stopping, searching, and surveilling large numbers of people,” she says.
  • To avoid access issues, establish independent community oversight bodies, with full access to police records, subpoena power, authority to conduct investigations, and the power to discipline officers and command staff.
  • It all starts with community and prioritizing social services and community development in impoverished neighborhoods over funding the police.
  • “Our communities need help,” Smith-Williams concludes. “Let’s provide sufficient community-based voluntary drug treatment and harm reduction services, instead of policing drug use. In White communities, they treat drug use like an illness. Our communities need the same approach and consideration. Shereese was murdered because officers used excessive force and did not follow police policy of answering EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Persons) calls. Therefore, it’s imperative to maintain effective, supportive, and voluntary mental health services in the community, instead of responding to mental health issues with policing.”


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Lil Wayne Endorses Donald Trump and Social Media Has A LOT To Say

Another Black rapper endorses President Donald Trump! New Orleans’ hip-hop heavyweight, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., professionally known as Lil Wayne, has thrown on his MAGA hat as he met with Trump and officially endorsed the president for another term according to a Tweet he sent out Thursday.

In this incredibly awkward year, with the coronavirus pandemic, the racial strife, and continued police brutality against Black people, Black rappers endorsing presidents not named Obama has placed the world—or Black Twitter, at least—in a tailspin.

After gaining cooperation from the likes of Ice Cube and an endorsement from 50 Cent (who later withdrew his support and said he was just joking), Trump met directly with Wayne, who seems convinced that Trump will do well by Blacks with his purported Platinum Plan.

Social media immediately took notice!



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Thursday, October 29, 2020

Philadelphia Police, Officials To Release Body Camera Footage of Walter Wallace Shooting

Philadelphia city officials and the police department said they will release the body camera footage and 911-tapes of the Walter Wallace Jr. shooting that occurred on Monday.

Wallace Jr. was shot and killed Monday night by two Philadelphia police officers during a confrontation after police responded to a report of a man carrying a weapon. According to Fox News, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw made the announcement Wednesday, saying the department will release the video “in the near future,” but plans on meeting with Wallace’s family first “to ensure they get an opportunity to view the materials first.”

Since Wallace was shot Monday, Philadelphia has endured three nights of turmoil as thousands have protested and rioted. Videos across social media showed looters running into a Walmart, breaking into a Chick-fil-A, and pulling items out of a Foot Locker. According to the New York Times, protesters also set fires to debris on the street and damaged Philadelphia police cruisers.

Fifty-three officers have been hurt and 172 people have been arrested Monday and Tuesday night combined.

When Outlaw and city officials release the footage, it will be the first time the Philadelphia Police Department has ever released body camera footage of a shooting, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

John McNesby, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, released a video on Twitter urging Outlaw and city officials to release the footage.

 

“We’re calling on the city leadership to release the facts of this case. It’s not hard,” McNesby said. “It’s cut and dry, release what you have. Support your officers, back your officers and let’s get a handle on this thing.”

Wallace’s father, Walter Wallace Sr., told CNN Tuesday his son was bipolar and in crisis at the time of the incident. Shaka Johnson, an attorney representing the Wallace family, said in a news conference Tuesday, relatives called the authorities three times including once when Wallace’s brother asked for an ambulance.

“Law enforcement was called because they wanted an ambulance to come here,” Johnson told reporters. “The police are who arrived first.”

Johnson added Wallace’s wife told the officers when they arrived Wallace was “manic, bipolar” and in crisis.

“Unfortunately, the officers were not equipped with the training or the proper equipment to deal with a person who was experiencing crisis in that moment,” Johnson told CNN. “You don’t deal with crisis with a firearm.”


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Learn How to Land in the Top Google Search Results with This $15 Course

Modern businesses require a website in order to attract online customers. This is especially important these days now that customers rely on the Internet to conduct business. Don’t expect potential customers to flock to your website as soon as it goes live, though. First, you need to make sure your website is search engine optimized (SEO) so that it generates traffic.

Performing SEO ensures your website appears at top of search lists, which increases the likelihood of people clicking on your website. SEO best practices are constantly evolving, so if you’re looking for up-to-date information to improve your website’s searchability, Complete SEO Training 2020 + The SEO Course can help for just $14.99.

Complete SEO Training 2020 + The SEO Course offers 10 hours of educational content on how to maximize your website’s organic traffic on Google and other search engines. It covers popular SEO methods such as keyword research, link building, writing engaging SEO content, and much more. Not only will these techniques attract visitors, but they will also help give your visitors a more enjoyable browsing experience that increases the time they spend on your website, which ultimately leads to a higher conversion rate.

Every successful website is easily searchable and must deliver an engaging experience that keeps visitors hooked. If you’re looking for a great way to increase your web traffic organically, learning SEO is the way to go. Complete SEO Training 2020 + The SEO Course is normally $199, but Black Enterprise readers can grab it for $14.99, or 92% off.



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Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Sit Back, Relax and Stand Up For Girls!

By Hollie Harper

Although I was 26 when I first got into stand-up, the idea of making people laugh had been brewing inside of me for as far back as I can remember. Growing up, Joan Rivers was my idol,  and I would watch her performances every chance I got. While my family never fully understood my obsession, they supported me and even bought me one of her tapes for Christmas when I was 15. I wore that tape down and had every word of her monologues and jokes perfectly memorized, many of which still live with me today.

As I grew up, I spent every spare moment writing jokes. While working as a waitress I’d find myself writing jokes between taking orders and delivering food to my customers. Every situation was an opportunity to write something funny. My older sister was finally the one to push me to admit not only was this my passion, but also my future. 

This was scary for so many reasons. While Joan was my idol, she was the exception to the rule, as most comedians were men. Even less was my chance of seeing anyone who looked like me, a woman of color. My choices were to give up before I began or keep fighting and working for my place in the industry that I knew I deserved.

My once in a lifetime chance finally came one night while working as a waitress in a blues bar. The host didn’t show up for the open mic. Knowing this was my ‘do or die’ moment I decided to take my shot and in between taking orders and delivering drinks I manned the stage and this stand-up comedian was born.

Becoming a stand-up is a mixed blessing. I love connecting with the audience and making people laugh. There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as seeing people having a good time because of what you’re doing. What I didn’t love was the feeling that stand-up comedy was a ‘Boys Club’. No matter how hard I worked I felt that I would never be part of that club, and after three years, I transitioned to sketch comedy. I spent the next ten years honing my craft and though I loved sketch comedy, my first true love was still stand-up.

I know they say that ‘lightning doesn’t strike twice’ but for me it actually did. At one of my sketch shows, the comedian was a no show and I once again couldn’t waste the opportunity and opened the show. I continued there for many years but still felt hesitant to call myself a stand-up until just five years ago when I got the courage to try out my jokes at an open mic for an important upcoming show and thought “I can do this!”

Two years ago, while discussing names of comics for a show a friend was shooting, he turned to me and said “What about you?” The faith he had in me was what I needed to go back to the platform I loved so dearly. 

Seeing more women, especially young women of color in stand-up is extremely important. No girl should ever think that there isn’t a place for her because of her gender, nor do I want to hear the phrase ‘women are just as funny as men’ ever again. It’s 2020, we can do whatever we want no matter our gender, race, sexuality or any other type of identifier, as long as we have the passion, talent and desire. However, many girls today are still being told they are not as funny just because they are girls, and unfortunately believe it. 

I found Stand Up! Girls 18 months ago when I was introduced to Bryn Bowen, a board member,  at the Black Women in Comedy Festival. I remember attending my first show and tearing up thinking about how I could have used this in 1985. It was not until I was in my late 20’s that I was able to finally see an all-female stand-up show. 

Stand Up! Girls is a nonprofit organization, founded by Holly Weiss, whose core mission is to educate, inspire and equip girls from underserved communities with the communication skills necessary to succeed in and lead male-dominated workplaces. Through developing and performing stand-up comedy, the girls gain confidence and learn to ‘own the room’. The hope is that by learning these skills at a young age, young girls will feel empowered to seek out positions of leadership in settings like a courtroom, operating room or boardroom.

It was a no brainer to say yes when I was offered the opportunity to become an instructor. It has been an honor to give these girls a chance to find their voice and mentor them as they hone in on their craft in a nurturing and welcoming environment. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch these girls transform into confident young ladies and our future leaders! 

Stand Up! Girls will be hosting a virtual fundraising event on October 29th at 7:30 pm EST. The fundraiser, Sit Back, Relax and Stand Up for Girls, consists of an at-home movie showing of All Joking Aside, followed by a Q&A hosted by award-winning comedian and writer, Judy Gold. 

The Q&A panel will include the film’s lead actress Raylene Harewood and director Shannon Harwood, Stand Up! Girls program participants from Cristo Rey H.S. (Brooklyn), Stuyvesant (Manhattan) and Democracy Prep (Harlem) and a group of female comedians including myself!

Topics to be discussed are female empowerment, gender bias, mentoring, and what we can learn from bombing on stage. 

Founded in 2018 by successful professional women and people of color, Stand Up! Girls has enrolled 30-50 girls a semester across New York City. Each program consists of 8-12 weeks of instruction and culminates in a performance showcase at a comedy club in NYC, and for now, on Zoom. To learn how to get involved, visit http://standupgirlsnyc.org

All Joking Aside will be available for rental and sale beginning November 13 on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and other major platforms.

By teaching girls stand-up comedy we teach them to tap into their voice, speak and be HEARD.

Because in the words of Kamala Harris, “Excuse me, I’m still talking.”



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Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Kamala Harris Calls President Trump A Racist

The presidential election is just a week away as voters are already lining up around the country to place their early ballots in what is being billed as one of the most important, if not, the most important presidential election. The battle to run the United States is between current Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden. 

With all the racial strife and protesting against racial injustice within the court system and the police departments across the country, the president has been accused many times over the course of his first term as leader of the free world of stoking racial fires by stirring up his base. Questions have always been directed at him asking why he doesn’t speak out against the white nationalists and white supremacy groups that support him as if he is one of their own.

In a 60 Minutes interview with CBS anchor, Norah O’Donnell, Sen. Kamala Harris, who is Joe Biden’s running mate, was asked directly by O’Donnell if she felt the president is racist.

“Do you think the president is racist?” asked O’Donnell.

“Yes, I do,” Harris responded. “Yeah. I do. You can look at a pattern that goes back to him questioning the identity of the first Black president of the United States.”

“You can look at Charlottesville, when there were peaceful protesters, and on the other side, neo-Nazis and he talks about fine people on either side. Calling Mexicans rapists and criminals. His first order of business was to institute a Muslim ban. It all speaks for itself.”

 



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