“Central State University class of 1963 Alumnus Joshua I. Smith stopped by the Mass Communications Center and donated $3,009 to Jazzy 88.9 WCSU FM!” wrote CSU on Instagram Monday.
People on Instagram were like Smith is the “MAN!”
https://instagram.com/p/Beiaxj6j-UE/
Donate to black colleges
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) have educated Black students for over a century. HBCUs are usually smaller than predominantly white institutions and have smaller endowments, according to the American Association of University Professors. A donation to an HBCU can ensure that more Black students receive an education on Black history — and go on to make it themselves.
Head over to Bustle to read more!
Wilkinson set down with blockchain founder and influencer Lamar Wilson, to discuss how he got started in crypto, his platform Storj, and how he launched his first token.
LW: How did you get started in cryptocurrency?
SW: I started out mining. I had a friend at Morehouse that was mining and said ‘Hey, I got a little computer here, electricity’s free. What do I have to lose?’ I started mining away making like half a bitcoin a day. I ended up turning it off because it was making my residence room a little too hot. Suddenly the bitcoin I was mining was worth a lot more so I looked into the technology further and just fell in love with it.
I saw that there was a real need and issue in cloud storage so I figured hey, let me start my own project to solve that exact thing.
LW: Let’s talk about Storj. Tell the people about it, what it does, what the coin allows, that whole thing.
SW: It’s solving that fundamental issue. Something that we all use is cloud storage but there’s a lot of issues with it. Privacy, security. You have all of these good old corporations kind of looking through your data, which isn’t the best thing.
When I created it, it was really focused a little bit more and continues to be on the developer side. I was looking to build out applications, store a bunch of data and I was playing around with the Twitter firehose. A lot of people thought we were focusing more on the Dropbox side of things but, what you find out when you actually dig into this ecosystem is, the developers are actually building cloud tools and us as users we benefit.
LW: Can you talk about how you launched your coin?
SW: We started in 2014 back when bitcoin was quite new. There was this idea that you could build other applications on top of bitcoin and the underlying technology. There are millions of people all over the world who have extra hard drive space, they can rent that hard drive space out and get paid for it (miners who generate tokens) and the other side of that is we can build a platform where people can securely store their data. That bridging portion is both the blockchain technology to keep it private and secure but, also just to facilitate the numerous amounts of payments that you have to do.
In the end, both sides are working in tandem.
What the full video below.
This story was written by Sequoia Blodgett, the Technology Editor at Black Enterprise, where it originally published. This story is published here with permission.
The Impact
The 39-year-old joined Google back in 2016 as the head of black community engagement, where she focused on implementing diversity and inclusion practices and strategies. During her stint, she helped create initiatives to groom and elevate people of color for leadership roles, including the Decoding Leadership series, which teaches black Googlers how to navigate and climb the corporate ladder. Butterfield Jones also played an instrumental role in launching Howard West, an intense summer residency program that trains and mentors Howard University STEM students at the Googleplex campus in Silicon Valley. Additionally, she helped design the Decoding Race talk series to educate Googlers around the country on race, culture, and bias.
“I met one-on-one with Googlers and heard their stories and watched senior leaders experience an awakening as they learned some of the challenges young black professionals face in tech,” Butterfield Jones told BE.
The Road Ahead
Despite the progress made at Google, Butterfield Jones’ promotion comes at a time when the company is facing a lawsuit and under a federal investigation over unfair payment practices toward women. The announcement also comes just weeks after the lack of diversity in tech was magnified at CES, arguably the biggest tech conference in the world. Nevertheless, the strategist makes no qualms about the challenge that lies ahead. “Education and awareness is key and we made tremendous progress at Google over the last two years,” she said. “In my role, new programs will also be developed and scaled, so please stay tuned.”
Before Google
Prior to entering the tech industry, Butterfield Jones held a variety of high-profile positions in politics and entertainment. From 2011 to 2012, she served as the National Youth Vote Director for the Obama for America campaign. In 2009, she was appointed Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce under then-President Barack Obama.
Early in her career, she served as the Executive Assistant to the president of HBO Sports after graduating from Clark Atlanta University in 2000. She also worked her way up from an intern for Russell Simmons to the Executive Director of his media firm, Rush Communications.
In addition to actively mentoring young women at Google, Butterfield Jones has served as the CEO of Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN)—a nonprofit that uplifts and mentors women working in entertainment while striving to promote positive images of women in society—for the last 10 years.
Butterfield Jones, who is also a mother and the wife of NBA champ Dahntay Jones, is not the only black woman making boss moves this year. Last week, it was announced that Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Elaine Welteroth is parting ways with the magazine and reportedly has a deal with CAA, a prestigious talent agency based in L.A.
This story was written by writer Selena Hill at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. This story is published here with permission.
More details on who she might get married to (rapper Birdman) to come! Keep scrolling down!
Anyway. The “Heart Away” singer recently explained that “I am not married, unlike my big mouth sister Tamar has been saying everywhere… I’m definitely not married yet,” reported the Shade Room.
“Hmm…it’s the “yet” part where things get interesting,” wrote Talio O. at the Shade Room.
Maybe there’s a better word than interesting to describe Braxton and Birman’s relationship, but that’s neither here nor there.
Last year, according to the Shade Room, Braxton’s so called “big mouth” sister Tamar appeared on the Wendy Williams show and basically spilled the beans on her sister and Birdman and their relationship, or partnership, or both. You can call Tamar what you want just don’t call her broke.
Ok?
The gag is is that Braxton has been spotted with a huge rock on her finger ever since Tamar gave that interview to Wendy.
Head over to the Shade Room to read more.
The statement by Director of Marketing Brother Gibbs Hightower IV states that the fraternity will honor and recognize their current brothers during Black History Month. The statement also want brothers to “submit a typewritten, edited description between 100-300 words about your achievement, along with a corresponding visual.” 
“We will attempt to share as many as we can every Sunday and Wednesday in February,” the statement reads.
“Black History Month is fast approaching, and we will certainly honor our pioneers who left behind a substantial legacy for us to follow; however, we feel there should be a heartfelt recognition of our living history that exists among us. Therefore, during the month of February, the National Office would like to showcase the achievements of our brothers by asking you to share with us your personal accomplishments and/or contributions to your chapters, as well as your communities. Some examples may include a scholarship you’ve started, a career milestone or promotion, or perhaps a community initiative that you have launched.
We would ask that you submit a typewritten, edited description between 100-300 words about your achievement, along with a corresponding visual. We will attempt to share as many as we can every Sunday and Wednesday in February.
Also, all brothers with Facebook and Twitter accounts are encouraged to download and post the Brown and Gold “I Am Black History” graphic listed below as your profile picture next month. Be sure to add #IAmBlackHistory1963 to your post.”
We look forward to learning more about our brothers during this important time of the year.”
Check out the video below.
https://youtu.be/w9ubWeAcW1Y
“What a surprise? Thanks for the nomination! Look forward to applying and helping to raise funds for Alcorn State University,” Malone wrote on Twitter. He also shared a statement from ASU, stating that the black college has nominated Malone as a great ASU graduate. You can check out the photo below:
Malone is a public speaker, political consultant, community activist and thought leader and his work places him squarely on the front lines regarding the issues of equal rights and opportunities for all, according to his website.
Malone added hashtags like #hbcu, #hbcugrad, #hbcucheer, #alcornstateuniversity, #blackmagic #blackexecellence, and #motivationalspeaker:
https://twitter.com/duvaliermalone/status/956893884172431360
This shutdown was avoidable. The WH created this crisis & the GOP leaders in Congress refused to negotiate with Democrats. We must pass a bipartisan solution to fund the government, guarantee health care for millions of kids & protect Dreamers. Americans expect & deserve it.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 20, 2018
Sen. Harris, who is a Howard University graduate, took to Twitter to react to this shutdown. “Due to the shutdown, I will not be able to attend the Women’s March LA,” she wrote on Twitter.
The black college grad continued, “Instead, I will be in Washington, D.C. to fight for a for a long-term funding bill that supports our military, community health centers, CHIP, disaster relief, and protects Dreamers from deportation.” Since posting a series of tweets, Sen. Harris has earned several thousand shares and likes already.
“There’s nothing more powerful than a group of determined people marching and standing up for our nation’s values and for what we know is right,” she proclaimed. “Standing in solidarity with those attending the #WomensMarch across the country.”
Instead of working to ensure our kids have health insurance, our Dreamers are safe, our community health centers remain open, and members of the military get paid, Republicans intentionally ran out the clock. We must act and pass a bipartisan deal.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 20, 2018
When I look at our Dreamers, I know I am looking at the dream of who we are as a country. pic.twitter.com/nXeK8r26Hd
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 20, 2018
What’s standing in the way of a bipartisan agreement is the chaotic White House and the partisanship of Republican leaders. Americans don’t want this dysfunction — they want the government to work and to pass legislation that protects the people.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/kamalaharris/status/954932066629685249
A “side hustle” is additional income that is separate from your paycheck. It’s not a part-time job, it is something you have created, and it can be hugely gratifying. I have always recommended side hustles or multiple streams of income. I call it “financial protection.” A side hustle helps you build confidence and security, especially if you’ve always been an employee and have never worked for yourself. Even a small amount of extra income feels great because you made it happen.
Why you need your own side hustle
A side hustle can give you a level of financial insulation if you were to lose your job or become sick and cannot work your full-time job. A side hustle can be an online pursuit such as editing manuscripts and résumés, being a virtual assistant, or making money from a blog. So if you were to become unemployed, you would still have money coming in and that would enable you to continue to pay your bills.
People often wonder how to save more money; a side hustle can help you with that. If, after you pay all of your bills, there is nothing left, you need a side hustle. Living paycheck to paycheck leaves you financially vulnerable (most people don’t have enough money in savings to handle an emergency). It is important to build up money in a savings account and an emergency savings account for the “what ifs” that can happen.
If there is something that you are truly passionate about or an area you want to explore, you can try it out through a side hustle. Sometimes a 9-to-5 is just a 9-to-5 and you may be harboring a desire to try something else. This is the time to do it and with a lot less risk.
A side hustle will bring more happiness and flexibility to your life. When I first started out as a financial writer and expert, I was writing on the side, but every time I got paid for my work and for something I truly wanted to do, I was elated! I was also able to save this money which increased my financial security. The feeling that you get from creating something of your own and being successful at it cannot be beat!
This story was written by writer Jennifer Streaks at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. This story is published here with permission.
The Shade Room recently posted a video of two little brothers born ready for the shimmy. “So this is what y’all been teaching your little brothers during play time?!”
Check out the video below. What do you think? Do you agree with the little brothers shimming? Let us know and leave your comment.
https://instagram.com/p/BdyDoLfB5Fe/
“I was offered a $500,000-deal last week to do a comedy special,” Mo’Nique explained. “However Amy Schumer was offered $11 million, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle — $20 million. Then Amy Schumer went and renegotiated two more million dollars because she said, ‘I shouldn’t get what the men are getting, they’re legends, however, I should get more,’ and Netflix agreed.”
Not every HBCU fan on Twitter will be down for a good cause. Mo’Nique want us all to boycott Netflix and stand by her. The black college alum wrote, “I believe women deserve equal pay. However, I don’t believe I deserve equal pay to Chris and Dave. They are legends and 2 of the greatest comics of all time.” Since, HBCU fans on Twitter took to Twitter to react to her plea for help.
It’s a shame that when you speak out, some people come at you like you’re no longer funny. It’s crazy because I know your talent and know the money you’ve brought in for all these corporations. Folks willing to blackball you for speaking up and silly folks believe it 🙁 pic.twitter.com/U98NGIzmVh
— Amethystt (@Amethystt) January 19, 2018
Me trying to do the math on how one Oscar and a tv she just starred in not produced = Dave Chappell and Chris Rock money pic.twitter.com/K2yQAMTjJw
— Tony Brown (@Antoniousbrown3) January 20, 2018
Some HBCU fans on Twitter is not here for it at all.
Just because you an Oscar winner, don’t mean you funny sis….. pic.twitter.com/9elxruWarg
— vixtorious😏 (@_vixtorious) January 19, 2018<<<<<<∓mp;mp;mp;t; href=”https://t.co/yuywXNKeFa”>pic.twitter.com/yuywXNKeFa
— chubby love (@dopishness) January 19, 2018<<<<<<∓mp;mp;mp;t; href=”https://t.co/KgMlv3wc8a”>pic.twitter.com/KgMlv3wc8a
— 🌗Elohim🌓 (@ElohimThaGod) January 19, 2018
Davhappel is GOAT tho I wouldn’t think y’all would get paid the same either 😬🤷🏾♂️ — Zaytoven On the Beat (@ThatBoyZayToven) January 19, 2018
Monique do; she can’t compare herself to them. What about her fans? She’s going to lose the ones she has by bring so arrogant and delusional about her drawing power. Sad but true
— S- – – hole Inspector (@Justnasty4real) January 19, 2018
Ugh, Moniqgone be out on the street bc she wanna be difficult AF with all of Hollywood https://t.co/dwUoEij6UL
— Beyonka (@beyonka_fierce) January 19, 2018
1. The interactive play areas at OSC are fun and educational.
They have the family involved and engaged.
2. OSC embraces the STEAM educational initiative that 21st century careers demand.
3. OSC embraces the diversity of cultures visiting the center with a welcoming atmosphere.
4. The presenters of the programs are knowledgeable, engaging and entertaining.
5. The building and infrastructure is inviting and sensory stimulating.
The visuals are colorful.
6. Families are welcomed and assisted by the staff.
7. There are opportunities for children to be involved in multiple activities that require different skills.
8. Children with disabilities are welcomed and supported.
9. The facility is clean and well maintained.
10. Families with autistic or special needs will find activities that are hands on and stimulate, but not overly excite the senses.
I (Aida) would like to add a few additional points to this list that, as a mom, I noticed.
11. The OSC has something for everyone in the family.
As William mentioned above, we had as much fun as the kids did. What he didn’t mention, however is that one of the kids is 9 and the other is in college yet, they both enjoyed themselves. There is even a section of the museum set-up exclusively for children 7 and under. Knowing that there is something for everyone can be a stress reliever when trying to find something to do with the whole family.
12. Along the lines of “something for everyone,” the exhibits varied.
There were dinosaurs in one exhibit, complete with animations and a fossil dig in one area and a complete gingerbread village in another area, which I thought was wonderful. Also, while everyone else was enjoying the show on space, my little one was having a go at being a weather forecaster – so no one was “bored.”
13. The exhibits change.
While we were there we noticed some areas blocked off in preparation of new exhibits, which made us decide that we need to come again and check them out.
14. There’s plenty of interaction.
As William mentioned above, there are plenty of interactive activities throughout the entire museum. We cut out paper snowflakes, jumped in the hurricane simulator, “dug” for fossils and so much more.
15. Location and practicality.
Firstly the OSC is conveniently located and offers plenty of parking. We also noticed that in same location as the OSC, there are other centers and museums we can check out during future visits. As for practicality, there is a cafeteria located on the ground floor of the museum and there are plenty of restrooms.
16. The cost is reasonable.
While the regular cost is fairly reasonable, check out their website for additional discounts you may be eligible for.
Activities from the hurricane simulator, to the dinosaur discovery, to the high tech presentation about our solar system provide unique learning. There is evidence of STEM, STEAM and even STREAM learning. Aida and I (well past our teen years) had a wonderful experience, not just watching our girls, but participating with them as well. Family time is about enjoying the experience together and building lasting memories.
The OSC employs traditional and hands on activities that allow for touching (tactile) stimulation, video and auditory presentations. Visual acuity and auditory sensory experiences are not overwhelmed. The VR or virtual reality provides a full range of learning. Parents take the time to schedule family time and arrive early enough to have children participate in a rich learning environment. There is plenty to do see, hear, learn and experience.
Resources:
Orlando Science Center – http://www.osc.org
This story was written by William Jackson and Aida Correa.
Tell me about your background.
I grew up in Philadelphia and then went off to Morehouse College—which was a defining moment in my development as an African American male. Subsequently, I moved to New York City to work as an investment banking analyst. I am now based in San Francisco where I spend my time working with an exceptional team at Drop, hanging out in art spaces, and hiking while hopping on and off planes to Asia and Los Angeles.
Why did you start Drop?
Drop started as a personal obsession with information discovery on computing devices.
One afternoon while heading back to New York City after a weekend trip, I was a passenger in a near-fatal accident. I recall the moment the ER doctor told me my injuries didn’t match the physics of the accident—that I was lucky to be alive. Having that face-to-face encounter with death reshaped my perspective on the relationship between our human existence and our daily work.This occurred around my third year on Wall Street so I was already contemplating new opportunities. Unintentionally, Drop became the new opportunity, thus taking this personal obsession and building a product around curiosity, intuition, and empathy.
Can you explain the product and its use case?
Drop is the “Google Chrome for VR/AR.” It’s an immersive internet searching and browsing experience for virtual reality and augmented reality users.
The first thing many of us do when we open our MacBooks or iPhones is access a web browser because the browser has traditionally been our gateway to information discovery. Well, what does this foundational computing experience look like in about 3 – 5 years when our iPhones or MacBooks are no longer our primary computing devices but instead each of us owns a virtual reality or augmented reality headset? Our team has been looking to answer that fundamental question.
Today, Drop is one of the most popular VR titles among HTC Vive users—the leading VR headset in the space.
How has it been for you and your team to fundraise for technology that is still trying to find its place in the market?
The formidable challenge wasn’t finding interested investors in VR/AR because funding for VR/AR startups remains popular among Silicon Valley venture firms. Our challenge was fundraising as African Americans building a software company. Even with a world-class team and an impressive product with significant traction, we found ourselves defending our legitimacy to create an enduring technology company. To circumnavigate that issue, we looked for strategic investors outside of traditional Silicon Valley firms. We secured a majority of our capital from institutional investors in Asia and Los Angeles.
Where do you see AR/VR going in the future?
At Drop, we build products that help people connect with the world in a more meaningful and authentic way. We often say we are building for the post-smartphone world. We believe the future adoption of these technologies in our everyday lives will create new social interaction paradigms, information-gathering systems, and new approaches to human productivity.
This story was written by writer Blodgett at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. This story is published here with permission.
In Leadership Challenge (Jossey Bass; $24.95), a Businessweek best-seller, authors James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner point out their five exemplary practices of leadership, all of which are embodied by First Lady Obama. Take a cue and learn from these tenants of excellence in your career and overall life:
Encourage the heart: According to Leadership Challenge, a culture of celebration and encouragement will carry your supporters through difficult times. “Every day, the people I meet inspire me. …Every day, they make me proud. … Every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth, said Obama at the start of her recent Democratic National Convention speech. Expressing gratitude is always important.
Model the way: Basically, practice what you preach. In order to position an organization to continuously set high standards and show commitment, leaders must model their ideal behavior. This builds trust, loyalty, and support. “I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard — especially when it’s hard, Obama has said.
Modeling the way also means listening to the concerns of others and being open to find ways to promote better work. Describing how President Obama pours over letters of struggling Americans, Michelle has said, “I see the concern in his eyes… and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, “You won’t believe what these people are going through, Michelle….It’s not right. Having the ability to understand people and their values and concerns, gives one the advantage of arriving at a more viable solution, according to Leadership Challenge.
Inspire a shared vision: Leaders cannot exist without followers. The most palatable way to lead is understanding the concerns, values, and aspirations you share with supporters. You’re most likely to execute great work when you can identify a shared vision, which enables people to act. You must be able to speak the language of those you seek as well, while articulating your vision. “..fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids. The vision as spoken by Obama. “I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he’d grown up all the way across the country, he’d been brought up just like me. Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help. Obama uses this opportunity to connect Barack with her own story, and the story of all Americans. This theme throughout her speech provided authenticity to her words.
Challenge the process: Don’t wait until paint dries. In leadership, you must venture out into the unknown to go against the status quo and improve the current condition. Challenging the process can yield some risk, failure, and obstacles when arriving at solutions. “And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it, when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost, Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise, Obama has said.
Enable others to act: Fostering collaborations is what sustains organizations and the ability to execute missions. In the aforementioned practices, one must understand the shared goals, vision, and concerns of those they lead— while articulating effectively the intention. The First Lady says, “… He [President Obama] believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.
This story was written by writer Amanda A. Ebokosia at Black Enterprise, where it was originally published. This story is published here with permission. This story was also published in 2012.
Indeed, he followed through on his word and dropped some inspiring words on his Instagram earlier this month. “Real words we need to hear this,” one Instagram user wrote.
Check out the message Saeed shared below. You can also listen to his first album Write Now and stream it on saeed4music.com. Saeed is a graduate of Central State University in Ohio and is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Delta Xi Chapter.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdx4KMhnHq9/?taken-by=saeed4music
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd-Ubr4HzeG/?taken-by=saeed4music
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeDyQQWHerQ/?taken-by=saeed4music
