Tragic news that 41-year-old basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his beautiful legacy, 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant were killed is sending the world into a moment of silence.
Our hearts ache for Vanessa Bryant, her beautiful daughters, and the entire Bryant family. We will continue to lift them in prayer.
The inseparable pair died in a Calabasas helicopter accident around 10am PST along with everyone else aboard, 9 people total, including the pilot and reports indicate another of Gianna’s teammates, as they headed to their basketball practice.
As we attempt to wrap our heads around the untimely loss of one of the greatest basketball players to ever live, we honor his life, accomplishments, barriers broken and his lessons.
The following quotes—from the Black Mamba himself—are words to live by:
It’s the one thing you can control. You are responsible for how people remember you—or don’t. So don’t take it lightly.
My brain . . . it cannot process failure. It will not process failure. Because if I sit there and have to face myself and tell myself, ‘You’re a failure’ . . . I think that’s almost worse than death.
The important thing is that your teammates have to know you’re pulling for them and you really want them to be successful.
If you want to be great at something, there’s a choice you have to make. What I mean by that is, there are inherent sacrifices that come along with that. Family time, hanging out with friends, being a great friend, being a great son, nephew, whatever the case may be.
I’ll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it’s sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.
I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan, I only want to be Kobe Bryant.
I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.
I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.
Once you know what failure feels like, determination chases success.
The moment you give up, is the moment you let someone else win.
Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.
I create my own path. It was straight and narrow. I looked at it this way: you were either in my way, or out of it.
We can always kind of be average and do what’s normal. I’m not in this to do what’s normal.
I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I’m like, ‘My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don’t have it. I just want to chill.’ We all have self-doubt. You don’t deny it, but you also don’t capitulate to it. You embrace it.
If you’re afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.
Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop. Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change.
The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don’t have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven’t had that fear.
It’s different from being 21 and you think there’s endless amount of opportunities. At 33, the ending is much, much closer.
This is the moment I accept the most challenging times will always be behind me and in front of me.
The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.
50 Cent is going off on Taraji P. Henson and her show ‘Empire’ but he just took it to the next level by publically claiming Jussie Smollett is the reason for the show not returning to the airways.
It all went down on Instagram, where 50 posted a message calling out TPH for statements she made on T.I’s podcast. So, he decided to troll her pointing out how bad the Jussie Smollett situation was for the show.
Leading up to Taraji’s interview with T.I, 50 had made statements comparing his show ‘Power’ to her show ‘Empire’ and she was upset about it.
“I saw @tarajiphenson on @troubleman31 podcast, this is my sincere apology I did not mean to hurt your feelings in anyway. I love your work and I think you are amazing. I’m sorry no one is watching your show anymore. I realize I have to work on the fact that I have less empathy then others,” he wrote on Instagram.
He continued, “I have met with the top executives at Fox and sold them (The Notorious Cop) it’s the show that is replacing yours:worried: but I really want to work with you. I mean your awesome we would work well together, but if you don’t like the idea I understand if you don’t roll with me, your gonna get rolled the f*** over.”
50 Cent took it a step further posting another message later in the day, trolling Taraji over the Jussie Smollett scandal and blaming it for ending ‘Empire.’
“@tarajiphenson i didn’t destroy your show it destroyed itself, he wrote alongside a picture of TPH and Jussie Smollett.
He continued, “i hope you accept my sincere apology, forever your fan and friend Fofty. ps i’m looking forward to working with you, or watching you watch me work.”
So why all the beef?
Earlier this year, 50 posted several quotes on Instagram alleging ‘Empire’ may have jacked the marketing strategy of his TV show, saying, “‘Power’ season 2 is unbelievably good trust me. I have the best writers and showrunner. I like Terrence Howard and Taraji Henson. I don’t like that they would copy the marketing.”
Tom recently wrote a piece for TVOverMind.com that depicts Black Panther Chadwick Boseman as unhappy with his leading role. It’s likely that he will be phased out of the role to that of a woman Black Panther, which is why the Howard University graduate is not happy.
“Hearing that Chadwick Boseman is unhappy with the direction that the Black Panther franchise is taking might come as a surprise to a lot of people, but when you hear just why that is you might understand a little better, or you might want to tell him to calm down and just step aside depending on your point of view,” writes Tom.
“In any case, Scott Campbell of We Got This Covered has shed a little light on why Boseman might be a little sore when it comes to what will be happening to Black Panther once the sequel comes out, which is closer to the comics than several of the story ideas we’ve seen have been at this point. It would appear that Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, will be taking over as Black Panther eventually, which means that at some point Boseman will be getting phased out of the role and possibly will be seen as a lesser or non-existent character in the MCU eventually.”
Tom then writes that many people will be basically stunned at the turn of events, but most will cheer on Shuri as a black woman in a leading role of the MCU. This comes after news that the Black Panther sequel will be one of the last times Boseman suits up as the masked man.
That sounds like a pretty dire situation for a hero that was so hyped up upon his entrance to the big screen, but it does sound as though this is the direction that the sequel is leaning towards and while a lot of people are likely to sit there with their jaws hanging down some are likely cheering to see a black woman take the lead of a major motion picture, especially when it’s for the MCU. In the meantime though, T’Challa will apparently still show up for the sequel and even for the next Avengers movie, but it does sound as though his days could be numbered.
Grambling State University unveiled two exclusive sneaker designs developed by athletic apparel partner, adidas Originals, for the students of the World Famed Tiger Marching Band on Friday.
“We appreciate that our partners at adidas engage our students with meaningful experiences,” said Grambling State President Rick Gallot, who formerly played percussion and guitar in the World Famed Tiger Marching Band. “Investments like this help position them for increased visibility on the world stage and expose them to unique career options in the sportswear industry.”
The new Grambling State adidas sneakers come just days before the Band’s Atlanta performance in the 17th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, where they will go head-to-head against seven (7) other top-ranked HBCU marching bands.
“Throughout our partnership with adidas, they’ve continued to demonstrate a deep understanding of the unique needs of our athletes, including the Band, “said Dr. Nikole Roebuck, Director of Bands at Grambling State. “The sneaker design perfectly reflects the originality, imagination, and pride that comes with being a Grambling State Tiger.”
One of the adidas designs displays the University’s official colors, black, and gold, with a bold accent of red laces, the Grambling athletics logo on the ankle, and the Grambling State Tiger logo on the tongue. The other sneaker design has a classic feel with an all-white palette and features the Grambling State Tiger logo on the ankle.
“Students are at the heart of all partnerships and led this creative project”, said Martin Lemelle, Executive-Vice-President. Student leaders from the Band and the Orchesis Dance Company were invited to a marketing focus group with adidas executives to assist in designing the shoe last spring. “It’s rewarding to see their creativity realized through the release of this unique product.”
adidas continues to celebrate the vibrance of Black culture and partner in ways that advance HBCUs, including the recent partnership with the DTLR HBCU Tour. In 2019, the HBCU-forward Beyoncé invited Grambling State’s Marching Band to perform at her private activation party for the partnership between adidas and her athleisure line, Ivy Park. Months later, Grambling State’s campus hosted an adidas MakerLab experience where University homecoming attendees created custom adidas apparel items.
The new designs are exclusive to the World Famed Band, however, a limited supply will be available for auction this spring. Grambling State fans are encouraged to follow @grambling1901 for updates on the forthcoming auction and more from the adidas partnership.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston recently blessed an HBCU in Alabama with a sizeable financial donation. The $50,000 donation will help to boost the black college’s athletic department, according to HBCU Gameday.
This comes after Charles Barkley, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 for his individual career, and also in 2010 as a member of the “Dream Team,” blessed Miles College in Fairfield with a $1 million donation.
Since he had never felt the black college experience, he could not forget to give back to one of these institutions, and in particular Miles, Winston said, adding, “I am so honored to support Miles College.”
He continued, “Although I did not attend Miles College, we’ve had a longstanding relationship that has allowed me to touch the lives of thousands of youth from Birmingham and around the country. Miles has always had a special place in my heart because my mom is an alumna of this prestigious HBCU.”
President Bobbie Knight said that his donation only points to the richness of Miles and their athletic department. “Having someone of Jameis’ stature selflessly contribute to our growth here at Miles gives credence to what we are trying to accomplish, which is to give our student-athletes the best collegiate experience possible,” he said.
Winston has hosted his Dream Foundation Football Camp at the school since 2016.
Miles College is a private liberal arts HBCU and was established in 1898.
Megan Thee Stallion had a massive 2019 thanks to the platinum hit “Cash Shit,” her Fever project, and her viral “Hot Girl Summer” sensation. Now, her breakout streak is continuing to blaze on — after weeks of hype, the Houston rapper has unleashed her first solo single of the year, “B.*.T.C.H.”
Meg’s new track samples Tupac’s “Ratha Be Ya N***a,” off All Eyez On Me, and finds her firmly back in her bad-bitch zone. “Why you wanna play with me? You know I’m undefeated / A real hot girl know how to keep a n***a heated,” she confidently spits over a bouncy beat. That snarling dog on the cover art? Yeah, that’s pretty much the vibe here.
“B.*.T.C.H” marks Megan’s second release of 2020, following her Birds of Prey collaboration with Normani, “Diamonds.” The new single will appear on the ascendant star’s hotly anticipated debut album, Suga, on which she’ll be introducing fans to her next persona. In a press release, she said that “Suga” is “besties with Tina Snow… it’s a big problem.” She also teased that the new album will include work with Kehlani, and that “more hot collaborations and surprises” are on the way.
No word yet on when the sure-to-be-hot Suga will arrive. In the meantime, press play on “B.*.T.C.H” above.
In October, 300 Entertainment and Young Thug invited all historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) marching bands to produce a short video to be posted on social media showcasing their school spirit and talent with their best marching band rendition of Young Thug’s “Hot”.
The rules stipulated that the school to receive the highest engagement on their video will receive a $25,000 donation total to the winning school’s music department/Band Program from Young Thug’s record label Young Stoner Life Records & Kevin Liles and 300 Entertainment.
Several HBCU bands participated in the campaign including Hampton University, Central State University, Elizabeth City State University, University at Arkansas Pine Bluff, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, South Carolina State University, Fort Valley State University and Benedict College.
After weeks of anticipation, 300 Entertainment Co-Founder and CEO Kevin Liles traveled to the winning HBCU and surprised them during band practice. Liles himself is a proud HBCU graduate himself, hailing from Morgan State University. Watch the surprise.
Liles shares his excitement with FAMU’s The Marching 100:
“On behalf of YSL and 300 Entertainment, Congratulations to all #HotHBCUChallenge participants – your creativity is inspiring, and to FAMU continue to make us proud as the 1st winners of the Challenge. Our support of the HBCU creative community will never waiver. They are our future leaders, engineers, artists, entrepreneurs, and we recognize the importance of a collaborative environment that understands their social dna, while at the same time challenging them to dream bigger, work harder and focus on what really matters. Education is power, entrepreneurship is key, and ownership should be our driving force.” – Kevin Liles, Co-Founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment
Check out FAMU’s Marching 100 Marching Band’s official entry:
Although Young Thug could not be there in person to surprise the student, he did share his sentiments with this video.
FAMU”s Director of Bands, Dr. Shelby Chipman shared his appreciation and excitement:
On behalf of FAMU’s ‘Marching 100’ band, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Young Thug and Kevin Liles for an outstanding initiative with the HBCU Hot Challenge and the members of Marching 100 who had an absolutely fantastic time designing our formation and the music arrangement by Lindsey Sargent. We will be eternally grateful to Young Thug, Kevin Liles, and anyone associated for providing HBCUs an opportunity to showcase their talents and creativity. We’re even more excited about the same opportunity to use the award towards band operations, scholarships, and initiatives that will allow us to move the FAMU Marching 100 forward. We look forward to showing up this weekend at the Honda Hot Battle of the Bands in Georgia.” – Dr. Shelby Chipman, Director of Bands at Florida A&M University
The marching band also shared the congratulatory video in a post to its Instagram page:
Wilberforce, OH – Central State University is hosting the first Ohio FFA State Biotechnology Contest on Friday, January 24, 2020 from 9 a.m. – noon, located in the Joshua I. Smith Center for Education & Natural Sciences. The university is expecting 80 High School FFA Students to be on campus to compete in the contest. Each student will complete a series of Lab Practicums including Micro-Pipetting, Gel Reading, SDS Questions, Equipment ID, and present research findings from a provided scenario/problem.
The locations of each Lab Practicum are as follows:
Presentations – AGED Conference Room and Conference Room 138.
Team Presentations Prep – Room 117 and College of Education Student Lounge
Equipment ID – Room 103 Student Lounge
Gel Reading – Lab Room 147
Micro-pipetting, Making a Solution and Label – Lab 157
SDS Questions – Auditorium
Any news organization planning to attend should notify Public Relations in advance.
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Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, is a regionally accredited 1890 Land-Grant University with a 133-year tradition of preparing students from diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research and service. The university fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a strong liberal arts foundation and STEM-Ag curriculum leading to professional careers and advanced studies globally.
Oprah’s #Oprahs2020VisionTour made an unplanned stop to celebrate a graduate of Florida A&M University.
Rattler Nation shares: On Friday, Media Mogul Oprah Winfrey made a surprise visit to FAMU graduate Martez Prince’s Premier Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Charlotte, NC. Winfrey was in Charlotte on her nine-city Vision 2020 Wellness Tour promoting the importance of being healthy when it come to their mind, body, and soul.
Prince’s pharmacy, which opened five years ago, educates customers about their medication and assist them on acquiring the necessary medication. He has a one on one relationship with each of his customers. His customers say the doctor’s advice has made a difference in their lives. His work got Oprah’s attention and she wanted to tell him job well done.
“I could actually cry about the kind of courage and perseverance and determination it takes for a young brother to be working in a big box pharmacy,” Oprah said. “And say something doesn’t feel right about this – I think I am going to start my own business and I am going to do that for my community. I could weep.
Former presidential candidate Herman Cain appeared on Saturday night’s “Watters World” to discuss the latest Project Veritas video.
The undercover video, released Tuesday, showed a Bernie Sanders campaign organizer talking about cities burning and Soviet gulag-style reeducation camps for Trump supporters. As he introduced the segment, Fox News host Jesse Watters pointed out that if a “Trump campaign staffer talking about burning down cities and beating up cops, it would be all over the nightly news.”
“It says desperation and ignorance,” Cain responded. “I believe that this field guy knows Bernie is not going to get the nomination, not only because Republicans don’t want him to get the nomination, but Democrats don’t want him to get the nomination because he’s a devout Communist, period. Some people try to sweeten and call it socialist. Desperation. Secondly, ignorance of what the real American people believe. They are not buying this socialist message. And this guy knows it. So they are already planning violence and destruction.”
While Watters had earlier acknowledged the fact that this was only one low-level staffer, the former Godfather’s CEO later contended that such talk is par for the course considering “some of the other statements that Bernie has made.”
“So his staff is in a desperate mode, and they are planning violence because he is not going to win,” he said.
After Watters played a clip from the video, both discussed how difficult it would be to “reeducate” people in the U.S.
“The people of this country, the real people, not the wackos that are following Bernie or supporting Bernie, they know better,” said Cain. “They are not going to buy the socialist ideas, and I believe that that’s what his staff members are beginning to realize, so they are planning the next phase which is violence and destruction, and that is a sad commentary.”
“Imagine if they try to put Herman and Watters in a gulag,” Watters quipped. “Not going to go so well.”
WASHINGTON D.C.[January 22, 2020] –Howard University proudly announces a generous $10 million gift from the Karsh Family Foundation to endow its prestigious and highly competitive STEM program, which will be renamed the Karsh STEM Scholars Program (KSSP). Founded in 2017, the program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities earning a Ph.D. or combined M.D./Ph.D. in a STEM discipline. This is the largest gift in Howard University history.
The gift also creates the Lomax KIPP Scholarships, a
unique, debt-free financial aid program for graduates of KIPP, the
Knowledge is Power Program, a nationwide network of high performing
public schools in underserved communities. Lomax KIPP Scholarships are
named in honor of Michael L. Lomax, CEO and President of United Negro
College Fund (UNCF), and a longtime distinguished advocate and
inspiration for African American students seeking higher education.
“We are grateful to Martha and Bruce Karsh for their transformative
investment and support of our students and our vision to create a
diverse workforce of highly-skilled scholars equipped to take on careers
in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math,” said President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA.
“When we created this program, with the support of the Board of
Trustees, we envisioned building a model program to demonstrate how
higher education can serve as a pipeline to diversify STEM fields
nationally, but we knew it wouldn’t be sustainable without external
resources. This gift will ensure that Howard can train the nation’s
brightest students who desire to obtain their Ph.D. or combined
M.D./Ph.D. for generations to come.”
The Karshes’ gift will support the overall KSSP graduate scholarship
and ensure its future viability to fund cohorts of approximately 30
scholars per year. The announcement arrives just as applications for the
fourth cohort are streaming in prior to the Jan. 30 application
deadline.
“We are excited to endow this visionary program at Howard,” said Martha and Bruce Karsh.
“Simply put, we believe education, expertise and research in STEM fields will define mankind’s future, and we are proud to be able to help Howard attract and support the best and brightest students for its already renowned program.”
According to the National Center for Science and Engineering
Statistics, Howard University is the No. 1 baccalaureate institution of
African American science and engineering doctorate recipients.
Each year, the STEM program attracts hundreds of competitive high
school students who are interested in careers as research scientists,
surgeons, policy makers and corporate leaders. Scholars selected for the
program receive a scholarship that covers 100 percent of the tuition
and fees associated with attendance. The program provides an inclusive
learning environment to challenge students, through rigorous coursework,
mentorship and immersion experiences.
“Thanks to this generous gift, the Karsh STEM Scholars Program will
realize its full potential to cultivate a workforce pipeline of talented
students from underrepresented communities who are well equipped to
become leaders in the global STEM community,” said KSSP Program Director Ronald Smith.
The Karsh Family Foundation was founded in 1998 by Bruce A. Karsh,
Oaktree Capital Management co-founder and co-chairman, and his wife
Martha L. Karsh, an attorney and designer. The Foundation’s
philanthropic focus and mission is educational equity and opportunity;
to date, it has made gifts and pledges of approximately $250 million to
support education and scholarship at all levels.
“We are inspired by Dr. Lomax’s passion to remove all obstacles for
underserved students, and his relentless passion to advocate for
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),” said Martha and Bruce Karsh.
“We share his vision of creating a more equitable and affordable
education system from preschool to graduate school, and we are proud to
honor his name with this scholarship at an institution as prestigious
and historically significant as Howard University.”
Martha Karsh serves on the board of the KIPP Foundation along with
Dr. Lomax, where together, they have collaborated to secure scholarships
and other educational support for KIPP graduates and African American
students. The Lomax KIPP Scholarships help make college more accessible
to deserving students and is unique in that it promises a debt-free
education for its recipients.
“Thank you, Martha and Bruce for helping to build a pipeline of KIPP
students to HBCUs and for believing as I do that ‘a mind is a terrible
thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in,’®”said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO of UNCF.
Two Lomax KIPP Scholarships will be awarded each year. Each
scholarship will cover the gap between financial aid and the cost of
attendance, ensuring students have full coverage to graduate debt-free
in four years. The first recipients will be selected this spring,
entering Howard University in fall 2020. The gift also designates on
campus support for all KIPP alumni at the Uuniversity. Currently, 53 KIPP graduates are enrolled at Howard University.
“We are filled with gratitude for the continuous support the Karsh
family, Dr. Lomax and Howard University have given to our KIPP
students,” said Richard Barth, CEO of the KIPP Foundation.
“This scholarship and our partnership with Howard will ensure more KIPP
students have access to a phenomenal college education and the
opportunity to pursue their passions.”
KIPP surveys show that, at HBCUs like Howard, KIPP alumni report a
stronger sense of belonging and stronger health outcomes, and are more
likely to have a mentor and to seek out academic supports than students
at non-HBCUs. And, KIPP’s early data indicates that KIPP alumni enrolled
in HBCUs experience higher 1st to 2nd year persistence rates than peers
with similar academic backgrounds enrolled in other colleges. The Karsh
gift will fund a shared on-campus persistence advisor for KIPP
students; a program that makes a significant difference in the success
of first-generation college students. In addition, this donation
establishes Howard University as one of almost 100 college partners for
KIPP.
Applications are currently being accepted for the fourth cohort of
the Karsh STEM Scholars Program at Howard University. The deadline to
apply is Jan. 30. Interested and qualified applicants are encouraged to
apply. For more information, visit the Karsh STEM Scholars
Program website: karshstemscholars.howard.edu.
# # #
About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university
that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in
more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional
degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in
Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three
Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25
Pickering Fellows and more than 70 Fulbright Scholars. Howard also
produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other
university in the United States. For more information on Howard
University, visit www.howard.edu.
About UNCF and Dr. Lomax
Founded in 1944, UNCF, which is
the nation’s largest scholarship provider to students of color and was
founded on the principle of providing equal access to higher education,
has always held true to its motto—A mind is a terrible thing to waste®—over
time, raising $5 billion to help more than half a million students
graduate from college. UNCF annually awards 10,000 scholarships—$100
million a year—to deserving, students, often the first in their families
to go to college. Since 2004, under the leadership of Dr. Lomax, UNCF
has raised more than $3 billion and fought for college readiness and
education reform through partnerships with reform-focused leaders and
organizations and worked to further advance HBCUs with Congress, the
administration and the Department of Education. Before joining UNCF,
Dr. Lomax was president of Dillard University in New Orleans and a
literature professor at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges. He serves on the
boards of the KIPP Foundation, America’s Promise, the Smithsonian
Institution’s Museum of African American History and Culture and the
Studio Museum in Harlem.
About KIPP
KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power
Program, is a national network of 242 public charter schools dedicated
to preparing students in educationally underserved communities for
success in college and life. KIPP schools are part of the free public
school system and enrollment is open to all students. Started in 1994 as
a middle school program, KIPP has since expanded to enroll 100,000
students in all grades from Pre-K through high school. Nationwide, KIPP
students complete their bachelor’s degree at a rate comparable to the
national average for all students and approximately three times higher
than the average for students from low-income families.
Being a black small-business owner is tough. It does not matter how many years of experience in your field that you have, you just cannot shake the negative stereotypes. It is even worse when some of us buy into those stereotypes of expecting less than excellence when dealing with our own people, race and culture.
Many young black entrepreneurs are smashing these stereotypes though, including this HBCU graduate who recently launched Cole & Company Clothing, a brand that focuses on making you look great at an affordable price.
The mind behind Cole & Company is LaMarr Timothy Cole, a graduate of historically black Central State University in Wilberforce and founder of BowsByCole Bowties, Cole Creative Concepts, a creative consulting and artistic direction brand, and Cole Landscaping.
His latest achievement was making well over $1,000 on Black Friday in one day to achieve the goal he had set. “Not only did I meet that goal I surpassed it and flipped it in the process,” he told HBCU Buzz in an email. “I said to myself “Wow, if I can make that in a day then imagine what I could make tomorrow or the day after that if I kept it up.””
The significance of the barcode stems from everything in existence having its own value or worth and the current collection is easy to understand and yet strikes the eyes of the onlooker. “I love the simplicity of my collection because it makes you pay more attention to the individual wearing it. I have been told my brand at first glance looks like a luxery athletic apparel company. My font is modern, simple, and clean,” Cole said.
“I chose a holographic vinyl to add that futuristic pop that begs the question “What is fashion really supposed to look like in 2020?” Customers are attracted to the holographic and metallic fonts because it gives them the look of a superstar but at an affordable price.”
With the exception of a Collectors Edition Sweatshirt with the Metallic Gold barcode that comes in a metallic gold collectors box, Cole keeps the pricing in his online store under $50.
“It was important for me to keep prices in a range customers can afford but also have a profit model or breakdown that ensures the financial security of my businesses,” he said.
“There is no doubt I would not be the LaMarr I am today without my beloved Central State. The friendships I forged there have cemented themselves as lifelong,” Cole said.
His experiences that he had with CSU’s marching band Invincible Marching Marauders took Cole to places that he had never been before like Chicago, which has become one of his favorites cities to visit.
“I have also perfromed for Earth Wind and Fire, I have performed in front of thousands of people in NFL stadiums, I have recorded a soundtrack for a black college football game and I have developed a deeper love an appreciation for black culture through homecomings, step shows, yard shows — then involving myself in various organizations that contributes, celebrates, and manifests the black college experience in America.”
Back in 2011 when CSU President Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond had interviewed for the position, it was Cole who gave the leader who is stepping down at the end of the school year her first tour of the black college.
“I have assisted hundreds of high school students who eventually became college bound young men and women and decided to have Central State University as their HBCU of choice. That has been the highlight of my tenure at Central State other than my experiences with the band and my close friends.”
‘Are you in good company?’
Who knows how far Cole & Company will go but Cole sees his brand at every major retail store like Macy’s and Nordstrom in 10 years with his merchandise on a full display.
“Hopefully the concept of my current collection is timeless enough that it will drive the identity and the true meaning of value, worth and being mindful of the company you keep,” he said.
“With all good things I know I cannot do it forever. I have already developed business models for more companies I want to develop in the future. I am confident Cole & Company Clothing is here to stay and will be force to reckoned with in the eCommerce world.”
Cole’s current collection consists of the Holographic Branded Logo on sweat tops, hoodies, baby onsies, baby caps and bibs, T-shirts, long sleeve crews, and branded coffee mugs and it is exclusive so it is only going to be avalible until February in preparation for the brand’s Spring Collection launch.
“Not to give too much away but expect a pop of color, some neons, some camouflage and the quality of the merchandise improve. It is important as an individual to recognize your worth,” Cole said.
Comedian Gary Owen is one proud papa as he just announced that his daughter Kennedy was accepted to an HBCU.
Taking to his Instagram account, he wrote, “Ok it’s official my daughter has been accepted to go to NC A&T next year.” He captioned under a post of him holding her acceptance letter, “She told me her freshman year of high school she wanted to attend an HBCU. A&T was her first choice. So get ready @terrencej @frederickwjr @willpowerpacker that loud white guy at the homecoming game will be me for the next 4 years. #ProudDad #AggiePride #HBCU.”
Many in his comment section were also happy about Kennedy’s acceptance. “That is awesome. Great school!!!” one person wrote. “Congratulations…. this is an awesome accomplishment,” another commented.
According to a new Washington Post-Ipsos poll published on Jan. 17, 2020, more than 8 in 10 black Americans believe that President Donald Trump is a racist. The poll also finds that black Americans believe the president has made racism a bigger issue in the country.
The poll, which was conducted Jan. 2 to Jan. 8, found former Vice President Joe Biden is currently black Democrats’ candidate of choice with the election 10 months away. Biden had the support of 48% of survey respondents, Bernie Sanders had 20% and Elizabeth Warren had 9%.
Nine in 10 blacks disapprove of the president’s job performance. Trump campaigns on having the lowest unemployment rate for black Americans in the history of the country, but 77% of respondents of the poll give him “only some” or “hardly any” credit for the 5.5% black unemployment rate.
“I don’t think [Trump] has anything to do with unemployment among African Americans,” said Ethel Smith, a 72-year-old nanny who lives in Lithonia, Georgia, told The Washington Post. “I’ve always been a working poor person. That’s just who I am.”
Sixty-five percent of blacks surveyed said they feel optimistic about their lives “all” or “most of the time” but another 65% say it’s a bad time to be black in America. Only 16% think that a black child born in the U.S. today has “a good opportunity to achieve a comfortable standard of living.”
Dana Clark, a black father of 11 in Ontario, California, tells all his children it’s possible to succeed in America.
“I tell them we’re going to set this plan up. Whatever you want to do you’re going to be able to do it,” he said. “But it ain’t going to be easy, especially if [you] want to make some money because you’re going to be in a world where they’re not going to expect you to be there. You can get what you want, but you’ve got to work harder, faster and stronger.”
This post was written by Justin Barton, a writer at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. It is published here with permission.
Morgan State University alum Mo’Nique got her own comedy special with Showtime!
According to Madame Noire, this news comes a few days after Netflix asked that the lawsuit she filed against them back in November be dismissed.
(Remember Mo had accused the streaming giant of basically lowballing her when Netflix offered her $500,000 to film her own comedy special? She had argued that her resume is just as good as the white and male comedians that they gave millions to in the past for their specials. And, she is right. But that is neither here nor there.)
The black college alum and Academy-award winning actress just broke the news on social media, gushing about her starring in her comedy special.
In a profile with InStyle, soul legend Erykah Badu revealed that she had something up her sleeve — an online clothing store. Partially inspired by Chinatown Market’s “bootlegged” approach, Badu is cultivating a wide-ranging online space for her dedicated fans. It’ll be complete with knick-knacks Badu has seen during her travels around the globe. Her brand will be aptly titled, Badu World Market.
Badu World Market will mix the concept of a traditional merch store with highly intentional curation. Back in late October, Badu worked with Chinatown Market on a now sold-out shirt to give a glimpse into what their collaborative relationship is like. The collaboration, which happened via Instagram live, also showed one of the types of pieces that buyers will be able to cop once the store goes live.
She confirmed via Instagram that the store will have a section dedicated to sacred metals. One item that will be sold through this portion of the site is the chakra-balancing, metal baby hairs. “I challenged my fave classmate on earth, artist [Soull Kehinde Fundsworth] OGUN to conjure me up some enchanted baby hairs and edges that I can’t sweat out at the club, yet, will also keep me grounded and focused on balancing my ‘Dougie’ chakra,” she wrote. “Only at Badu World Market,” the singer added.
The store is set to launch on February 20, 2020, six days before Badu’s birthday.
