Diary of a Serial Entrepreneur: Five things I’ve learned
Yimaj “Steve” Kalifa has mastered the art of reinvention – and, he has been so successful at it, that executives from major corporations and federal agencies now seek him out for advice. Often life has chapters, he likes to say, but sometimes you have to write whole new books to succeed. Growing up near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kalifa’s first reinvention was realizing the power of context and environment. He had to near the center of the global economy, where his outsider status would let him see new opportunities that U.S. natives and industry veterans might overlook. So,
Kimberly Godwin named president of ABC News, first Black woman to lead a major broadcast news network
Courtesy of ABC News CBS executive Kimberly Godwin has been named the next president of ABC News, becoming the first Black woman to lead a major broadcast news network. She replaces James Goldston, who left the network last month after seven years in that role, and will start in early May. Godwin will oversee editorial and business operations for broadcast, digital, streaming and audio news across the organization, including the No. 1 programs "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight with David Muir" and "20/20," and the growing streaming channel ABC
High-Ranking Cincinnati Contractor Gains Ownership in Construction Company
James Watkins, president, and COO of TriVersity Construction is steadily making moves in all the right places — with his latest one netting him a minority ownership stake in the construction firm he leads at, the Cincinnati Business Courier reported. Watkins is now part-owner of the company, which solidifies even further its efforts to be more inclusive. On Tuesday, April 6, TriVersity Construction announced that Watkins made his purchase of minority stake in the firm, effective April 2, according to the article. CEO Mel Gravely II is the company’s
Workplace reopening? Put employee safety first
Of all the milestones in our nation’s COVID-19 recovery, workplaces reopening is one of the biggest. As millions of people start returning to offices, classrooms and more, the hope of progress is tempered by concerns for safety. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work. How can employers help make that happen? The key is planning ahead, says Christopher Gill, vice president of EnviroPro Solutions. “Having enough supplies, the right equipment and clear information—all of these are important. They do more than just keep the workplace safe and sanitized.
A CEO at Work and at Home, Shauntae Lewis Excels as Certified Grant Writer
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Shauntae E. Lewis heard the naysayers – loud and clear. “I heard ‘you won’t amount to this’ and ‘you’re not good enough,’” Lewis, a certified grant writer who owns and operates Grant Life Consulting in Florida. “My inspiration came from a sense of fear and those things that I had heard in my life – in the professional world,” Lewis recalled. With her four children and her faith as inspiration, Lewis has done more than achieve. She has succeeded. A U.S. Air Force veteran,
Boston Elects First Black Female Mayor
On Monday, March 22, Kim Janey was installed as Mayor of Boston in one of that very provincial and conservative city’s most historic political events in its history. Janey succeeds former mayor Marty Walsh, who resigned to serve as President Joe Biden’s labor secretary. Janey served as the Boston City Council president before taking the momentous step as acting mayor. She is expected to have a ceremonial swearing-in Wednesday, March 24.“History will be made tonight,” Walsh said earlier in the evening. “We’re an extremely diverse city from different backgrounds
NFL Hires First Black Woman Referee
By Stacy M. Brown Maia Chaka knows well that Women’s History Month is all about commemorating, observing, and celebrating the vital role of the fairer sex in American folklore. She just didn’t know she would become a part of that history. After years of officiating games in the Pac-12, Conference USA, and the NFL’s Officiating Development Program, Chaka will head to the NFL in the Fall. When she takes the field in September, the Norfolk State University graduate and health and physical education teacher will do so as the first Black
How to choose the best facemask
(BPT)—Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, you have probably wondered what kind of face mask provides the most effective protection but is also easy and comfortable. You have probably also heard that double masking provides better protection against the more easily transmissible variants of COVID-19 that have been spreading recently. So how can you know what kind of mask to use? The main purpose of masks is to help prevent the spread of respiratory droplets from you to others, in case you might be infected with COVID-19
New Business Alliance Launches with $1 Million Investment Aimed To Give Black Business Owners Better Advantages
By Megan Kirk Detroit’s Black small business owners will soon see a new coalition in place to better serve their needs. Several Black entrepreneurs held a press conference to unveil a new partnership with help from TCF Bank. The Metro-Detroit Black Business Alliance will develop programs and initiatives that will help create revenue and sustainability for all Black business owners in the city. Created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the alliance highlights the specific and unique roadblocks Black businesses endure. Spearheaded by Charity Dean, founder of Dean
Engineer Aliyah Powell Takes Fashion Industry by Storm
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia Aliyah Powell is not one whom you could sell short. Idle hands are probably unfamiliar to the senior industrial engineer at Michelin North America in Louisville, Kentucky. Also, an entrepreneur and fashionista, Powell continues to shoot for the moon, set and break barriers for like-minded African American women. The University of Louisville graduate and chair of the National Society of Black Engineers started working at Great American Cookies. At 17, Powell served as an interim store manager with a limited staff. “We might have