Black fashion designers win big at Council of Fashion Designers Awards
The Council of Fashion Designers Awards, often called the “Oscars of Fashion” celebrated a number of prominent Black fashion designers at an online ceremony Monday night. Black fashion designers took home of three of the six coveted awards, including Haitian-American Kerby Jean-Raymond, who took home the prestigious American Menswear Designer of the Year. The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1962, whose membership consists of 477 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers. Other figures recognized by the
Virtual School Means Extra Screen Time – And Added Eye Strain For Kids
This school year is beginning in much the way the last one ended, with many districts opting for virtual learning, which means children sit at home in front of computer screens rather than in a classroom in front of teachers. But that extra screen time – mixed with the screen time many children and teenagers spend on their own – brings with it the potential for serious eye strain, says Dr. Jeff Kegarise, an optometrist, clinical management expert, and co-author with his wife, Susan, of One Patient at a
The 5 Elements of Branding
It’s time to get down to business and branding is the first step. As with any new venture, crafting the perfect brand requires more than a great idea to succeed. Here are five branding tips to make your brand stand out above the noise. “I define a brand as the secret sauce of business," said Veronica Gibson, owner of CX Branding Agency. “It’s the only thing that differentiates you from everyone else that’s doing what you’re doing.” Have Confidence in Yourself and Your Business Gibson says confidence is key to
BLK App Uses Its Platform to Connect Black Singles and The Black Community
In its third year, BLK’s online dating app has quickly become the largest online dating app for Black singles. With approximately 3.5 million downloads to date, BLK app not only provides a space exclusively for Black singles to connect, but stands out from other dating sites with their three pillars: community, entertainment, and dating and relationships. BLK app’s origins date back to August of 2017 when Jonathan Kirkland, head of BLK, recognized a need for Black representation in the online dating space. After several years of working in
Black households earned 61 cents for every dollar of White median incomes
Nationally in 2018, Black households earned 61 cents for every $1 of White household median income. Further, the Black/White median household income gaps ranged from 87 cents per dollar in Maine and Hawaii, down to 32 cents per dollar in the District of Columbia. The disparity in median translates into 22% of all Black Americans living in poverty, a gap of 13% compared to Whites who are poor. Wisconsin’s gap is 23%. “In noting the socioeconomic indicators of median income, poverty rates and health insurance rates, I found
EnJunaya Canton quit six-figure job to start fast-growing Zuhuri Beauty
It’s been an exciting couple of years for EnJunaya Canton, owner of Zuhuri Beauty, a skin care line originally created for African American women. Based out of Los Angeles, Canton has been rapidly growing her company for the past few years and is constantly thinking about how she can take it further. Started in 2006, Zuhuri Beauty was born out of a desire for cleaner, healthier skin care products. After seeing transformative results from starting an organic and vegan diet, Canton realized how much of a difference that
Making ‘Artificial Intelligence’ work for your career
If understanding technology during a pandemic wasn’t already enough, now add the consideration of figuring out how artificial intelligence works and why anyone dealing with strategic planning needs to become familiar with its properties. Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed as a result of big data. The data collected needed to be understood. As analysts noticed patterns, it formed a new measurement. All types of organizations that seek to know how to serve their clientele best, develop their products, and have a competitive edge use AI. It’s estimated that the
Top Ways to Take a Safe Vacation
After months spent indoors at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s clear that many people are itching to get back out there and take a vacation. This is with good reason. Staying isolated for too long can take a substantial toll on one’s mental health and well-being, according to the American Psychological Association. If you still feel uncomfortable with going far from your home for a travel experience however, traveling domestically can be a step in the right direction. There are lots of great places to visit
New Angel Community to Improve Access to National Deals and Increase Investor Diversity
Commune Angels, the first Michigan-based angel community focused on regional and national deal flow and increasing diversity amongst angel investors, has launched. They look to invest in scalable consumer, enterprise, and life science companies led by founders from all backgrounds, identities, and walks of life. According to the 2017 American Angel Report, only 6% of angel investors in the U.S. were Asian, 2% Hispanic, and 1% Black. Only 22% of angel investors were women. Expanding the pool of angel investors and reach of investment dollars are critical ingredients
Lyft forms partnership with Black organizations to provide accessible transportation
Ridesharing app Lyft announced an initiative that would provide 1.5 million rides to make transportation accessible to underserved communities. The company joined forces with 11 organizations including The National Urban League, BlackWomen’s Roundtable and the NAACP. The LyftUp Access Alliance program’s main goal is to support members of the Black community affected by COVID-19 through offering transportation to essential services like job interviews, grocery stores, COVID testing sites and other destinations. According to details provided by Lyft, the company and its LyftUp programs will provide access to rides in