Dvon Williams Named Chief Communications Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), the preeminent one-to-one youth mentoring organization in the United States, has announced Dvon Williams as Chief Communications Officer (CCO). Williams will lead external and internal communications, thought leadership and influencer relations. She will spearhead developing and executing an integrated communications strategy that will successfully reinforce BBBSA's brand strategy and mission to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people through mentorship. An accomplished communications professional, Williams brings expertise in public relations, media, strategic brand positioning, thought leadership and executive visibility. Williams, who
Black mortgage applicants are denied 84% more often than whites
The Black homeownership rate that ticked up before the pandemic has again begun to fall, spurred by a widening mortgage approval gap between Black and white applicants. A Zillow analysis of data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)1 shows that while overall denial rates have decreased, Black applicants are increasingly more likely than white borrowers to be denied a mortgage. Black applicants are denied a mortgage at a rate 84% higher than that of white applicants — a big jump from 2019, when the disparity sat at 74%. In the
History-Making Quarters Featuring Maya Angelou Ship Out To Banks Across US
By Cherranda Smith, Black Information Network Quarters featuring poet Maya Angelou are officially in circulation. The US Mint announced Monday (January 10) that the history-making quarters shipped out to banks across the US. Maya Angelou is the first Black woman to be featured on a US quarter. The design featuring the late poet laureate and author is the first in the "American Women Quarters Program" which will put out multiple quarters featuring trailblazing women in American history over the next four years. "Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this
UrbanGeekz partners with Finance Savvy CEO to Empower Women and Minority-Owned Businesses
UrbanGeekz has teamed up with Finance Savvy CEO in a new partnership to support women and minority-owned startups. The Atlanta-based firms are collaborating to boost the financial health of this growing demographic. It comes as research increasingly shows that founders who benefit the most from business financial literacy skills are also the same groups that face the biggest barriers. In this brand-new alliance, UrbanGeekz has will provide 5 full-ride scholarships to the Finance Savvy CEO™ 2022 winter cohort of Your Profit Playbook™. The hands-on program helps underserved founders build the financial roadmap for their business and
Gene Wade named CEO of the Propel Center, a new HBCU technology and learning hub dedicated to preparing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs
The Propel Center, the global HBCU technology and learning hub intended to level the playing field and open greater doors of opportunity for their students, has announced the naming of respected social entrepreneur and education advocate Gene Wade as chief executive officer. Wade most recently served as Founder and CEO of Honors Pathway in Oakland, California, a social venture that enabled low-income students to attend their first year of college at no cost while receiving over 500 hours of in-person coaching and mentoring. He also serves on several non-profit boards, including
IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Actor, Sidney Poitier, 94, Has Died
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia Legendary actor Sidney Poitier, who broke barriers and stood for justice and Black lives during the most tumultuous times of the civil rights movement, has died. Poitier, whose iconic 71-year career, included starring roles in “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Uptown Saturday Night,” was 94. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed. In an exclusive phone call with the Black Press of America, Bill Cosby said he will miss his long-time friend and
Black Influencers Earn 35 Percent Less than White Influencers, Nearly Half Report that their Race Contributed to an Offer Below Market Value
Since social media has existed, people have reached online fame based on what they post to their profile. Through apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, some accounts have gained hundreds of thousands of followers and reached what is commonly known as influencer status. Within the past few years, influencers have started to monetize their following with companies who pay them to post ad-related content. Influencers have also been picked up for commercials and other professional ad placements. It has been suspected that white influencers benefit more than
What Rising Prices & Inflation Means For Black Americans
From gas to groceries, American households are seeing rising prices as the US economy attempts to recover from last year’s pandemic lockdown. In the last months, American consumers have seen a 13-year high in prices with little indication when things might get better. Before the start of the pandemic, studies showed that Black Americans were financially vulnerable and still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis. Pair that with higher unemployment rates and increased risk of experiencing homelessness, and the economic toll on our communities is dire. So what does higher inflation
300, AN INDEPENDENT ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, CO-FOUNDED BY LYOR COHEN, KEVIN LILES, AND ROGER GOLD SELLS TO WARNER MUSIC GROUP
Warner Music Group (WMG) announced the acquisition of 300 Entertainment, one of the world's most successful and influential independent music companies. 300's artists include top-charting, multi-platinum stars such as Megan Thee Stallion – who won Best New Artist at this year's Grammy Awards, Young Thug and his label Young Stoner Life, Gunna, Fetty Wap, Highly Suspect, the newly signed "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" Mary J. Blige, and many others. Since its launch nearly a decade ago, 300 has been distributed by Atlantic Records, and the acquisition represents the expansion of an
African American Entrepreneurs Head SPAC in $126.5 Million IPO to Acquire Black-owned Firms
Shawn Rochester, who authored the spellbinding book “The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America,” and Robin Watkins, a highly regarded financial and operations accountant, have made Wall Street history. And the two are poised to break through more barriers in the financial world. Their latest venture, Minority Equality Opportunities Acquisitions Inc. (MEOA), has raised $126.5 million they’ve earmarked to help minority businesses and enterprises grow and prosper through mergers and acquisitions. “It’s amazing to be a part of this,” Watkins, a Drexel University graduate, stated. While Rochester serves