New Name. Same Soul: Real Times Media Relaunches RTM360° as Pitch Black.
Real Times Media has relaunched its cultural marketing company, formerly known as RTM360°, as Pitch Black. Under the new name, the company will continue to help clients connect with Black audiences through a mix of culturally relevant brand communication & outreach initiatives. It currently supports a portfolio of 15-plus clients nationwide. “As RTM360 we have been able to do some great work on behalf of amazing clients around the country. But it felt like with the watershed times of the past few years, that branding no longer accurately
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Again Highlights The Racial & Gender Wage Gap
Courtesy of Black Information Network Wednesday (September 21) marks this year's Black Women's Equal Pay Day, which has once again highlighted the racial and gender wage gap. From the beginning of last year, it took Black women until Wednesday to earn as much as a non-Hispanic white man did in 2021 alone. Black Women's Equal Pay Day is calculated based on the size of the wage gap between the two demographics. The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) reports that Black women made 64 cents for every dollar non-Hispanic white men earned. Emily Martin, the vice president
Gov. Newsom Signs Legislation Funding Nation’s First Black Women’s Think Tank
Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a budget trailer bill approving $5 million in funding to the California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) to house the California Black Women’s Think Tank. The California Black Women’s Collective (CBWC) Empowerment Institute will be a founding partner in the development of the policy research institution. The legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 179, authored by Assemblymember Phillip Ting (D-San Francisco), paves the way for establishing a policy institute that will focus on improving structures and practices that
First-Of-Its Kind Streaming Service Created By & For Black Women Launches
A first-of-its-kind streaming service created by, funded by, and dedicated to Black women will soon hit households across the nation. According to People, entrepreneur Riqua Hailes Turner has announced the launch of theBW, shorthand for the Black Women Network, which aims to uplift Black women filmmakers and create space for diverse storytelling. The groundbreaking network will be available to download on all major streaming app platforms on Sunday (September 18) and will feature six original programs along with licensed films and series through Allrites, a distribution company. "My goal with theBW is to create a high fidelity streaming
Father-Son Duo Start First Black-Owned Athletic Supply Company In History
Courtesy of Black Information Network A father-son duo has made history after launching the first-ever Black-owned athletic supply company, Black Enterprise reports. Oronde Booker and his 14-year-old son Kendall are the founders of Book Dawg Sports, an Atlanta-based sporting goods company. After years of supporting Kendall at sports practices and games, Oronde noticed that all of the equipment used by teams was developed by four major companies, none of which were Black-owned. The father was inspired to create a company with his son that could join the ranks of other major suppliers of athletic products. “When thinking about sports, it’s likely
Black-Owned Asset Management Firm to Make History With Acquisition of Contact Lens Manufacturer
Black Pearl Global Investments – a Black-owned asset management firm focused on reducing health disparities across the globe – has entered into an agreement to acquire Florida-based contact lens manufacturer Hydrogel Vision Corp. (HVC). As a result of the acquisition, HVC will be known as Black Pearl Vision, becoming the only Black-owned and woman-owned contact lens manufacturer in the world. The deal is expected to close by mid-September. “It’s exciting to celebrate this milestone as we close out National Black Business Month,” said Dr. Shante Williams, CEO of Black Pearl
NBA Icon Isiah Thomas Has Quickly Become an Entrepreneurial Legend
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Isiah Thomas played basketball with the tenacity not often seen in today’s game. Whenever a team outscored his Detroit Pistons, it only meant a negative mark in the loss column, but never total defeat for Thomas. An NCAA champion at Indiana, and a two-time NBA champ with the Pistons, much like basketball, Thomas has followed up his on-court success with an almost peerless triumph in the business world. He told the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s live morning show, “Let It Be Known,”
National Business League (NBL) to Launch Black Economic Freedom Movement to Help Digitize 1 Million Black Businesses by 2028
A campaign that aims to enhance the digital capacity of 1 million Black-owned businesses and grow their revenue by engaging customers through technology is being introduced in Tuskegee at the 122nd anniversary of the National Business League (NBL). A historic announcement will be made Aug. 22 and 23 concerning a project the NBL is spearheading in partnership with sponsor American Express. The goal is to transition 1 million Black-owned businesses into the digital economy by 2028. The five-year campaign, the Black Economic Freedom Movement, will kick off in January 2023 to relaunch the NBL with local
Russell Westbrook Enters Digital Media Game to Bring Focus to Multicultural Audiences
NBA veteran point guard, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Russell Westbrook, has formally entered the digital media sector by launching Russell Westbrook Enterprises, new digital media division, RW Digital. The division has architected specific programmatic solutions that enables brands to more efficiently reach diverse audiences and amplify owned and operated minority publishers. Since ascending, Westbrook's business portfolio has grown to touch multiple verticals including Venture Capital, Fashion, Real-Estate, Insurance and now Digital Advertising. With the driving force of resourceful betterment for his community being the focal point, Westbrook has intentionally expanded his
The Clean Energy Economy: Will Blacks Get Left Behind in the Race to Green?
America continues to plod the course toward a clean energy nation – albeit glacially. Though hampered by an aging infrastructure and other factors, widespread clean energy – or power that does not, in its generation and consumption, add pollution or contribute to climate change – appears to be a certainty. Unfortunately, this particular scenario could lead to yet another great divide for African Americans. As the world slowly moves toward increased clean energy generation, a gap is widening and hindering African Americans positioning themselves to benefit from the