50% Of Women Of Color In The US Make Less Than $15 An Hour: Report
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network A new report released by Oxfam America on Tuesday (March 22) exposes the alarming pay disparities across race and gender in the United States. The report used data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey and Current Population Survey and found that more than 50 million workers across the country are making less than $15 an hour –– and a "staggering" amount of those workers are Black women and other women of color. The data shows that 47% of Black workers make less than $15 an hour, compared to 26%
CROWN Act Passes In The House, Banning Race-Based Hair Discrimination
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network In a landmark vote Friday (March 18), lawmakers in the House passed the CROWN Act, which prohibits race-based hair discrimination in the workplace, school, and more. The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act passed in a 235-189 vote, with only 14 Republicans supporting the legislation. The bill failed last month after Democrats put the legislation on a fast-track vote typically used for pieces of legislation not considered controversial. Supporters of the bill have tirelessly argued that banning hair discrimination is necessary for Black people who are far too often
Gospel Singer LaShun Pace Dead At 60
By Peyton Blakemore LaShun Pace has died at the age of 60. Larry Reid Live was the first outlet to report the famed gospel singer's death. "We have lost one of the baddest sopranos to ever walk this earth," read LRL's post on Facebook, which included several photos of Pace, on Monday (March 21). "LaShun Pace one of the lead singers of The Pace Sisters has passed." The statement continued, "The Pace Sisters recently loss [sic] their sister songbird Duranice Pace and Mom Pastor Betty Pace. Pray for them and all of us who will
LISC’s Black Economic Development Fund invests $122 million to support growth of Black-owned banks, businesses
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) announced today that its Black Economic Development Fund (BEDF) has committed nearly half its capital, having closed on $122 million in investments for Black-owned banks and businesses throughout the country. The $250 million fund includes investments from Netflix, Paypal, Square, HubSpot, Aflac, Costco, Dicks Sporting Goods, ThermoFisher Scientific, Wayfair, McKinsey & Company, and Dupont. It aligns with LISC's larger Project 10X strategy to break down systemic racial barriers, including $1 billion in investments that support small businesses, community nonprofits, mission-driven lenders, anchor institutions and innovative urban and rural initiatives. "Over the last two years,
Shalanda Young Confirmed As First Black Woman To Lead White House Budget
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network Shalanda Young made history Tuesday (March 15), after the Senate confirmed her to lead the White House Budget Office, becoming the first Black woman in US History to serve in this key role. Young received bipartisan support in the 61-36 vote and has served as acting director of the Office of Management and Budget over the last year. The OMB oversees all of the development and execution of the budget, which wields critical influence over the President's agenda."Another glass ceiling shattered by a remarkable member of the
16-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Black Beauty Supply Store Owner
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network Paris Mckenzie, a NYC-based 16-year-old, is making history in the hair and beauty industry, becoming the youngest Black owner of a beauty supply store. And she's just getting started. Mckenzie opened Paris Beauty Supplyz in the summer of 2020 after a space next to her mother's salon opened up. The young entrepreneur used her savings to lease the space and has since launched a salon of her own, La Eiffel Beauty Bar in Brooklyn.According to a news release, Paris is no stranger to hair and beauty, after spending plenty
Seven Black-Owned Banks To Award $25M Grant To Major League Soccer
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network A group of seven Black-owned banks is partnering with the Major League Soccer on a $25 million grant seeking to close the racial wealth gap in the US.The historic deal between the MLS and the National Black Bank Foundation (NBBF) was announced Thursday (March 10) and marks the first time ever that a sports league has conducted a commercial financial transaction exclusively with Black financial institutions. "Major League Soccer's partnership with the National Black Bank Foundation is a tangible step in the efforts to close the racial economic gap in the
Divinely Ordered To Empower Communities: Meet Alice G. Thompson CEO, Black Family Development, Inc.
By Donald James Prayer and unwavering faith in God, according to Alice G. Thompson, CEO of Black Family Development, Inc. (BFDI), are essential to her leadership role with Detroit-based BFDI. Established in 1978 by the Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers, the mission of BFDI is “To strengthen and enhance the lives of children, youth, and families through partnerships that support safe, nurturing, vibrant homes, schools and communities.” Thompson has served as BFDI’s top executive since 1994. She said her steps to BFDI were divinely
First-of-its-kind Partnership Aims to Increase Number of School Principals of Color
In an effort to dramatically boost the number of principals of color leading K-12 schools across the country, national nonprofit New Leaders is forming a first-of-its-kind partnership with distinguished historically Black institutions Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University to launch the Aspiring Principals Fellowship. The Fellowship is an online principal certification and master’s degree program designed to train the next generation of equity-focused school leaders who better reflect the students they serve. Half of all students in K-12 public schools identify as people of color, while only 1
WATCH: From TMZ Producer To Cookie Maker To The Stars
Although the pandemic created many hurdles economically for all segments of the population, Black Americans were hit particularly hard. But many entrepreneurs have used the adversity to create the job or career of their dreams. We spoke with Andrus Washington, the CEO of Box Office Cookies, who turned his passion into a profession and profit. https://youtu.be/RfEx3-FNiqo