Mike Grier Becomes First Black General Manager In NHL History
San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) Owner Hasso Plattner today announced that Mike Grier has been named as the team's general manager. Grier becomes the fifth general manager in the Sharks franchise history, preceded by Doug Wilson (2003-22), Dean Lombardi (1996-03), Chuck Grillo (1992-96), and Jack Ferreira (1991-92). He has the distinguished honor of becoming the first Black general manager in the history of the National Hockey League. In this role, Grier will have overall authority regarding all aspects of the Sharks hockey-related operations, including overseeing all player personnel decisions, leading the
Willie O’Ree, 1st Black Player in NHL, is a Real Ice Man
By Tamara Shiloh Historically, professional hockey has held fast to its tradition of lacking diversity among its players. But no Black on the ice did not hold Willie O’Ree back. He started playing hockey at age 3 and instantly had a passion for the game. Born on October 15, 1935, in Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada, O’Ree at the age of 14 years old, played with his brother Richard in organized hockey. Within a year, he was playing with the Frederickton Falcons in New Brunswick Amateur Hockey team. O’Ree played in
Amazon Air Delivery Could Be Moneymaker for Black Drone Pilots in California
By Edward Henderson, California Black Media For Black drone pilots, e-commerce package delivery going aerial could present new earning or business opportunities for them. Last week, Amazon announced that its customers in Lockeford, a town of about 3,500 people in San Joaquin County, will become among the first to receive Prime Air deliveries via drone. The tech company, the world’s largest e-retailer, chose Lockeford because of its historic links to the aviation industry. “Lockeford residents will soon have access to one of the world’s leading delivery innovations,” said Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon), whose
Techtown Catalyst Program Builds Investors For Founders of Color, Women
It is a long established fact that the venture capital industry is continuing to struggle with racial diversity. Women and businesses owned by people of color are far behind in accessing capital to fund their startups and small businesses. TechTown Detroit is taking the lead through its Catalyst Angel Program to train accredited investors, including successful founders, executives and high-net-worth individuals, on how to become angel investors. The drive to increase the number of Black, Latinx and women investors correlates directly with the broader rise in the
Two Senior Black Executives Leave Amazon Amid Leadership Shakeup
Courtesy of Black Information Network Black executives at Amazon are few and far between, and now two of them have decided to part ways with the company. According to CNBC, Amazon is losing Black executives Alicia Boler-Davis, who was the head of warehouses and a member of the company's leadership team, and David Bozeman, head of transportation. Their departure follows Amazon recently announcing that the CEO of Worldwide Consumer Dave Clark had also chosen to leave the company. Boler-Davis and Bozeman "have decided to explore new opportunities outside Amazon," according to an email obtained by CNBC. On Tuesday (June
Taraji P. Henson Returns To Host BET Awards on June 26
Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe®-winning actor, writer, director, producer, and philanthropist Taraji P. Henson will return to host the “BET AWARDS” LIVE from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The “BET AWARDS” was the #1 cable award show among all adults 18-49 in 2021. “BET AWARDS” 2022 airs LIVE on BET on Sunday, June 26 at 8 PM ET/PT. “I am honored to return as the host of the BET Awards and share the stage with so many powerful and prolific artists; you can even say it is
Manifesting the Legacy of Our Liberation
This post was originally published on Seattle Medium Activist and CEO of the Black Future Co-op Fund argues that it is a time to envision what is possible outside of systemic oppression. By T’wina Nobles Opal Lee is the grandmother of Juneteenth. For most of her life, she has advocated to make Juneteenth a national holiday. In 2016, she even walked from her home in Ft. Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C., traveling two and a half miles each day to symbolize the two and a half years Black Texans waited for emancipation. At 94
Jennifer Hudson Achieves EGOT Status With ‘A Strange Loop’ Tony Win
The 2022 Tonys hosted by Broadway star Ariana Debose awarded a slate of Black talent on Sunday (June 12). For the first time since 2019, Broadway's biggest night returned to Radio City Music Hall to recognize the industry's greatest stars. The 75th Tony Awards saw several Black stars walk away as big winners including Jennifer Hudson who achieved EGOT status. On Sunday, Hudson snagged the Tony Award for Best Musical as a co-producer of "A Strange Loop." By walking away with the crown, Hudson is the 17th person in history to take home awards
Biden Appoints Keisha Lance Bottoms As Top White House Advisor
President Joe Biden has tapped former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to join the White House as a top advisor as upcoming November midterm elections loom over the administration. On Wednesday (June 15), Biden announced Bottoms' appointment as director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, per the Washington Post. Bringing Bottoms into the fold will add a needed Black woman's perspective amid a political time that will determine the fate of the rest of Biden's presidency. The former mayor joins Biden's inner circle during a tumultuous time for the administration — with inflation
Mayor Andre Dickens Named Chair of U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Task Force
Mayor Andre Dickens has been named Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ new Public-Private Partnership Task Force. Mayor Dickens chaired the inaugural session of the Task Force this weekend during the 90th Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Reno, Nev., this weekend. “It is an honor to lead this newly formed Task Force and I look forward to working with a stellar bipartisan group of mayors on how best to collectively move our cities forward,” said Mayor Dickens. “Mayors have audacious goals on public