Dr. Tony Allen Appointed as Chair of President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs
President Joe Biden has appointed Dr. Tony Allen as the Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Board will advance the goal of the HBCU Initiative, established by the Carter Administration, to increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education to students and continue serving as engines of opportunity. The Biden-Harris Administration said it remains committed to supporting the vital mission of HBCUs. Through the American Rescue Plan and by forgiving capital improvement debt of many these institutions, the Biden-Harris Administration has
HBCU Pensole Lewis College Of Business & Design Geared to Serve Black Creatives in Detroit
By Sherri Kolade Dr. D’Wayne Edwards is broadening his academic footprint locally with the first-ever reopening of an HBCU located in Detroit. Edwards, founder of PENSOLE Design Academy in Portland, Oregon (also the controlling stockholder of the previously shuttered HBCU, Lewis College of Business in Detroit) spoke on Tuesday, October 12 at a press conference on the college grounds announcing plans to reopen the college as PENSOLE Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC). During the press conference, people gathered to hear the plans of Edward’s vision that he is
Jay-Z Makes Major Cannabis Move With A New $19 Million Investment
Jay-Z is expanding his involvement with the cannabis industry. The hip hop mogul, who launched his very own cannabis line last year, has invested in the cannabis retail software company, Flowhub. Hov joined venture firms Headline and Poseidon in donating $19 million to the Denver based tech company, which helps dispensaries by providing compliance, point of sale, inventory tracking and business intelligence solutions. The company, which is valued at $200 million, plans to use the extra money to accelerate expansion into emerging markets, while further developing its products and
First Black-Owned Distillery In US Lands Partnership With Delta Air Lines
The holiday season is quickly approaching and millions of people will be traveling through airports, train stations, bus stations and interstate highways in order to be with loved ones. For those traveling long distances through the air, Delta Air Lines may have a special treat for you. Passengers traveling with Delta Air Lines can now enjoy vodka from Du Nord Social Spirits, the first Black-owned distillery in the U.S. The popular airline says the partnership is part of a broader effort “to serve products that are made by people who
U.S. Black Chamber Prez Talks Loss of African American Businesses and a Global Future for the Black Dollar
By Stacy M. Brown During the first three months of the pandemic, approximately 442,000 – or 41 percent – of Black businesses shuttered. As COVID continues to hamper progress, the overall decline of small and minority-owned firms remains striking. Data culled from multiple studies revealed that Latinx business owners fell by 32 percent and Asian business owners dropped by 26 percent. Meanwhile, the number of White business owners fell by 17 percent. While the current climate has exacerbated the wealth gap and unveiled the unimagined financial straits of Black and other
New Faces, High Places Reception Welcomes New Black Leadership Geared to Help Strengthen Detroit
https://vimeo.com/603037143 By Sherri Kolade Detroit — known for its resilience, agility, upwardly mobile entrepreneurship sector, and unflappable residents — is also seeing a resurgence when it comes to attracting non-native Black movers and shakers to the area. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome them to Detroit. The Michigan Chronicle and Real Times Media (RTM), alongside approximately 80 of the city’s current power players, recently officially welcomed the newest Black C-suite leaders who now call Detroit home at the New Faces, High Places welcome reception in late August. “Our annual New Faces event is important because it
TRiBL Founder & CEO Ikechi Nwabuisi Lays Out Plan for the New Black Wall Street
ATLANTA, — Ikechi Nwabuisi, founder & CEO of TRiBL, today calls for a “New Black Wall Street,” offering a bold vision on how Blacks around the world can create generational wealth at a time when the pandemic over the past year has dramatically affected so many people’s lives. In this new op-ed, Nwabuisi, a Nigerian-American, is the founder and CEO @ TRiBL, a messaging app for Pan-African commerce, offers his strategies. Publications may run the following piece under his byline, Ikechi Nwabuisi. Photo attached. Wake up everybody! It’s time to
Who’s Who in Black Atlanta Returns to Rousing Reviews
By Roz Edward On Friday, Sept. 17 following a one-year hiatus in 2020 because of the deadly COVID pandemic, Who’s Who in Black Atlanta returned to long-awaited and much-anticipated reception by many of Atlanta’s most prominent citizens for a celebration of citizens and the unveiling of the Who’s Who In Black Atlanta Edition. More than 350 guests gathered in the Imperial Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta to greet each other and offer personal salutations after so many months of being limited to visual visits and socializing
First Black-Owned Streaming Channel Announced
By Danielle Sanders, Chicago Defender Interim Managing Editor Polaris, the 100% black-owned television, digital and social media platform, today announced the launch of its first free ad-supported streaming TV channel (FAST), to debut on VIZIO’s SmartCast platform. Created by digital media pioneer and legendary journalist, Rahman J. Dukes, Polaris exists to uncover and share stories created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and authentically share Hip-Hop and Black culture with the world. With guidance from the Polaris board, iconic media personality Sway Calloway (MTV) and music
Minority Communities Need Medicare Advantage. Don’t cut it.
By: Martin Hamlette, JD, MHA It will be years before we learn all the lessons of the COVID crisis, but some are coming into view even now. This pandemic has not hit all communities equally. As we recover, policymakers have a responsibility to avoid the mistakes of the past. Congress is considering historic investments in the social safety net. As they do so, those investments should not be paid for by cuts to programs that help minority communities. One program that Black and Brown Americans increasingly rely upon is