Laila Ali (l), Jerome Bettis (c) and Claire Sulmers (r). (Google Images)
Laila Ali (l), Jerome Bettis (c) and Claire Sulmers (r). (Google Images)
The National Black MBA Association® (NBMBAA®) is holding its 38th Annual National Conference & Exposition in New Orleans, Tuesday Oct. 11 – 15. This year’s conference is designed to increase access to careers in management, educate and build entrepreneurs, sharpen and enhance leadership skills, and help attendees secure jobs.
“Although the job market is improving, some professionals with graduate-level degrees still have difficulty finding quality jobs,” says Jesse Tyson, President & CEO, National Black MBA Association. “Our Career Expo will connect attendees with recruiters from leading companies like Facebook, Nationwide and Microsoft. Our professional development programming is designed to help attendees sharpen their leadership skills and increase their preparedness for the workforce or entrepreneurship.”
The conference theme, “The Q Factor: Quality, a Leadership Paradigm,” highlights the importance of quality leadership and how it is used to inspire, disrupt and transform the business landscape.
This year’s conference will incorporate more than 50 executives and innovators from across the country, including keynote addresses from celebrity speakers like athletes and entrepreneurs Laila Ali, Jerome Bettis, Walter Bond, Atom Factory Chair and CEO Troy Carter and Claire Sulmers, founder of “The Fashion Bomb Daily.”
Hurricane Matthew is making it’s way through the Caribbean and now towards the Coastal U.S. The category 4 hurricane shows no signs of slowing down. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, lists the following tips:
*Listen to the radio or TV for information.
*Secure your home, close storm shutters and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.
*Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
*Turn off propane tanks.
*Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
*Moor your boat if time permits.
*Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water.
Individuals should visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to learn these and other preparedness tips for tropical storms or hurricanes. If the storm is expected to affect your area, know your evacuation zone and follow the direction of local or tribal officials if an evacuation is ordered for your area.
If you will be evacuating, contact family and friends to let them know you are leaving and where you’re going; and take your pets with you or pre-identify a pet-friendly safe location like a pet friendly hotel or shelter.
Create a household inventory: For insurance purposes, be sure to keep a written and visual (i.e., videotaped or photographed) record of all major household items and valuables, even those stored in basements, attics or garages. Create files that include serial numbers and store receipts for major appliances and electronics. Have jewelry and artwork appraised. These documents are critically important when filing insurance claims.
Other steps to take right now to protect property are:
Make sure your sump pump is working, and then install a battery-operated backup, in case of a power failure. If you already have a battery backup, install fresh batteries. Installing a water alarm will also let you know if water is accumulating in your basement.
Clear debris from gutters and downspouts. Clear storm drains in the street or near your home of leaves and debris.
Move electronics, valuables, and important documents to a safe place.
Roll up area rugs, where possible, and store them on higher floors or elevations. This will reduce the chances of rugs getting wet and growing mold.
Shut off electrical service at the main breaker if the electrical system and outlets will be under water.
If you incur expenses due to protecting your home in preparation for coming storms and flooding – such as purchasing sandbags – you may be able to file a claim against your National Flood Insurance Program flood policy for reimbursement. Call your insurance agent to discuss your coverage and learn more.
There is the potential for flooding with this storm. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous and almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges and at highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. If you encounter flood waters, remember – turn around, don’t drown.
Get to know the terms that are used to identify severe weather and discuss with your family what to do if a watch or warning is issued:
For a hurricane:
A Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of at least 74 MPH poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours.
A Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 74 MPH or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.
For a tropical storm:
A Tropical Storm Watch is issued when tropical cyclone containing winds of at least 39 MPH or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours.
A Tropical Storm Warning is issued when sustained winds of 39 MPH or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected in 36 hours or less.
For flooding:
A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding.
A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
To learn more about what to do before, during and after severe weather, visit www.Ready.gov.
HBO's 'Insecure' star and co-creator Issa Rae experiences relationship and personal drama along with her on-screen best friend Yvonne Orji (Molly). (Photo Credit: Anne Marie Fox for HBO)
HBO’s ‘Insecure’ star and co-creator Issa Rae experiences relationship and personal drama along with her on-screen best friend Yvonne Orji (Molly). (Photo Credit: Anne Marie Fox for HBO)
Issa Rae used to mask her online addiction from her peers. The then-teenage budding tech junkie cut her teeth frequently logging on AOL, creating identities and instant messaging. By the time social media became immensely popular in the mid-2000s, the now 31-year-old Los Angeles native and creator behind the massively successful 2011 web series The Misadventures ofAwkward Black Girl grew comfortable with embracing her online presence.
“Facebook was really my biggest addiction,” a radiant Rae recalls, joking that she refuses to have Snapchat. “It made it okay to be online and talk to your friends. It was really nerdy, and nobody was really doing it yet. I realized people enjoyed me being me.”
Rae’s silly status updates, in-your-face commentaries and microblogs eventually paid off: allowing The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Rae’s third web series attempt overall, to net over 200,000 subscribers and 25 million views on YouTube. The actor, writer, director, editor, best-selling author and producer is gearing up to air her eight-episode, half-hour HBO comedy series, Insecure. The show, starring Rae, chronicles two African-American females experiencing relationship drama, personal growing pains and friendship conflicts.
Insecure’s origins date back to 2012 when the cable network approached the sought-after creative born Jo-Issa Rae Diop about potential show ideas. Rae landed an opportunity in 2013 to develop a series, I Hate L.A. Dudes, for ABC with showrunner Shonda Rhimes.
The broadcast channel passed on the pitch, so Rae took matters into her hands. The ambitious content curator created imprints, Issa Rae Productions and Color Creative TV, as incubators for women and minorities of color to showcase and potentially monetize their intellectual property absent of Hollywood’s approval.
Never one to condone “crabs in a barrel,” Rae aspires to help other creatives live out their dreams. “I want to see more of our stories,” the meticulous Stanford and New York Film Academy alumna says prior to a screening of Insecure during this year’s BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta. “I want to hear about more experiences that I haven’t had. I want to see that played out onscreen.”
Rae, with her arms and legs crossed, illuminating pearly Colgate smile and auburn pompadour braided hairstyle, adds, “Nobody wants to be the only one out there doing and telling stories. That’s not how you build as a community. That’s just not how I was taught to operate. I don’t want to operate that way.”
The Shorty award winner and Sundance Film Festival semifinalist lists Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Sinbad, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle as her muses. The massive success of Awkward Black Girl allowed Rae opportunities to produce digital content for Tracey Edmonds and Pharrell Williams.
The web trailblazer confirms that those working relationships are moments she patterns her career after. “They’re all bosses in their own right,” Rae says. “They have a firm brand, vision and solid voice. Those are all attributes that I need to feed off of. They taught me to be firm in who I am, the stories I want to tell, be confident that I’m supposed to be here and not let anyone convince me otherwise.”
Born the middle of five children, Rae, who was reared briefly in Senegal and Maryland during childhood, actually draws inspiration from her family. Rae’s relatives, she says, act as a focus group for her material.
“That’s where you test your comedy,” a delicate-voiced Rae declares. “That’s where you get your defense mechanism and quick comebacks. You just have to be on your toes with them. They’re some of the funniest people I know.”
Rae is not a fan of asking for help, but she acknowledges other contributors to Insecure. Whenever she mentions her creative partnerships on Insecure, Rae’s pitch goes up an octave. She co-creates, co-writes and co-executive produces Insecure with former Nightly Show host Larry Wilmore. Rae was devastated when the humorist took his post on Comedy Central: pinpointing how his influence proved infectious.
“I didn’t think anyone would be able to replace [Larry] and still nobody has,” Rae says. “He helped me to be firm and confident in my voice because he’s so firm and confident in his.” Insecure’s showrunner Prentice Penny grew up in the same neighborhood as Rae. Much like Rae’s character, the NAACP Image award nominee and writer/producer of the Fox police comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine worked for a nonprofit.
Penny’s shared experiences with Rae is also instrumental in fueling the writing on Insecure. “He’s such a good storyteller,” she comments, “…such a smart man who’s very encouraging in terms of making sure that my voice was shown through these eight episodes and throughout the series.”
Solange Knowles is Insecure’s music consultant for the soundtrack. Grammy-winning music video director Melina [Matsoukas], famous for her work with Beyonce, Snoop Dogg, Whitney Houston, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Calvin Harris and Missy Elliott, made her directorial debut for a television series: directing four of Insecure’s episodes.
Referring to Melina as “the most vivid, thorough creative director,” Rae describes her fellow visual artist’s work ethic. “She will handpick extras down to the details, shoot something and choose the wallpaper,” Rae says. “Everything matters. To have her execute this show in such a way that I didn’t imagine and pretty much elevated is just an honor.”
Consistency and perseverance are what Rae believes are her greatest assets. Just before the screening at BronzeLens, she mumbles and chuckles under her breath how she hopes audiences enjoy and appreciate Insecure. Reiterating how important it is to be assertive and constantly working in visual media, Rae leaves some encouraging words that she hopes will encourage others to write and develop content they can be proud of.
“Know the story that you want to tell,” she says. “I was certain that I didn’t want to compromise my voice, so it helped me just be me.”
Insecure premieres on HBO on Oct. 9 at 10:30 p.m. EST. Check local listing for channel selection.
This post was written by Christopher A. Daniel, pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a visiting instructor in the Department of Communication at Georgia State University. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Multiple media outlets are reporting the Ethiopian government has declared three days of mourning after 55 people died in a stampede at an Oromo religious festival. The stampede occurred after police fired bullets into the crowd of the holy festival which was located in the Oromia region of the country.
Communications Minister Getachew Reda stated:
“‘Troublemakers’ at the Oromo Irreechaa festival in Bishoftu physically attacked elders who were making their way to the stage to say their blessings for the new year. Police fired warning shots into the air, triggering the stampede at the festival attended by an estimated 2 million people,’ he said. However, Ethiopia’s opposition party disputed that account, saying that police fired live bullets into the crowd and as many as 120 people were killed. Merera Gudina, chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress, said the number of casualties was still unknown. ‘This goes down as one of the darkest days in modern Oromo history,’ Gudina told CNN. The Oromo are Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group and make up at least a third of the country’s 100 million people. But they have been marginalized for decades, with tensions rising recently as the government promoted development that took over Oromo farmland.”
The number dead is being widely disputed. Check @TheBurtonWire for updates.
Radio One founder Cathy Hughes. (Photo: Radio One)
Radio One founder Cathy Hughes. (Photo: Radio One)
The Hilltop Online is reporting Howard University’s School of Communications will change its name to honor legendary broadcaster Cathy Hughes. The school will now be named the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. The article discusses Hughes’ longtime relationship with Howard’s School of Communications, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.
(Twitter)
The article states:
“Born in Omaha, Neb. in 1947, Hughes is no stranger to The Mecca. After beginning her career in radio in 1969 with KOWH, a Black radio station in Omaha, Howard University offered her a position as a lecturer. She was then appointed as the general sales manager of WHUR 96.3 FM, Howard’s operated and owned campus radio station, in 1973. In 1975, Hughes was promoted to WHUR’s general manager. During that time, Hughes played a major role in increasing the radio station’s annual revenues from $300,000 to more than $3.5 million. In 1978, Hughes would depart WHUR for WYCB Radio where she served as the vice president and general manager of the station.
In 1979, Hughes was able to secure a bank lender to buy WOL, a small Washington, D.C. station, that would birth Radio One in 1980. In January 2004, she launched TV One, a cable television channel targeted at the African-American community.”
The school naming ceremony will take place on Sunday, October 23. Washington, DC recently named the corner of 4th St. NE and H St. NE as Cathy Hughes Corner, where Hughes purchased and operated WOL 1450.
Weather.com is reporting Hurricane Matthew is less than 24 hours from delivering a potentially catastrophic strike on Haiti, and will also strike parts of Jamaica, eastern Cuba and the Bahamas before reaching parts of the U.S. East Coast into this weekend. Hurricane warnings continue in Jamaica, Haiti, eastern Cuba, and the southeastern Bahamas. Hurricane watches remain in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Cuban province of Camaguey, and the central Bahamas, including Long Island, Exuma, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat Island.
Officials have issued evacuations for Jamaica, Haiti parts of Cuba and the Bahamas.
Hurricane Matthew is still considered a Category 4 Hurricane and is expected to dump 40 inches of rain on Haiti. It is expected that Hurricane 2 type rain will hit the Southeast as a result of Hurricane Matthew.
Follow this story at Weather.com. Check for updates to this TBW news brief on Twitter @TheBurtonWire.
Academy award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga in Disney/ESPN's 'Queen of Katwe.'
(Photo: Disney)
Scott Mendelson of Forbes is reporting the weekend box-office for Mira Nair’s ‘Queen of Katwe’ starring Academy award-nominated actor David Oyelowo, Academy award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o and brilliant newcomer Madina Malwanga failed to deliver at the box-office. Battling Sully, Deepwater Horizon, Tim Burton’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Antoine Fuqua’s western The Magnificent Seven starring Academy award-winning actor Denzel Washington and Cheo Hodari Coker’s Luke Cage, Marvel’s cult classic, which debuted this past weekend probably didn’t help the box-office of the fantastic film about a Ugandan girl’s pursuit of hope and happiness through the game of chess. It’s shocking that a film that counters the many critiques of the Hollywood film industry’s representation of blacks in film and has the backing of Disney/ESPN, who promoted the heck out of the film, would perform so poorly at the box-office. Mendlson writes:
“It’s the latest in a long line of Mouse House ‘underdog sports dramas,’ and it expanded to 1,242 theaters this weekend. But despite rave reviews and a consistent drum beat that this was worth your time and ‘the kind of movie you say you want,’ the picture earned around $706,000 on Friday for a likely $2.1 million weekend, giving the film a poor $1.7k per-screen-average. That will give the $15m Mira Nair-directed offering a $2.6m domestic cume. Thanks a lot, moviegoers…”
Perhaps there was too much competition at the box-office? Perhaps Disney should have marketed the Christian aspects of the film? Perhaps viewers are more interested in complaining about a lack of diverse images of blacks than actually going to see films with diverse images of blacks? Whatever the case, this tremendous film is going to need more viewers at the box-office if people expect to see a film about Africans, starring Africans in theaters anytime soon.
Read more about this story, visit Forbes.com. To read a review of the film, visit Shadow & Act.
Charlotteans leave flowers and candles for Kenneth Lamont Scott who was killed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers.
(Photo: Calvin Walton)
A group of African-American leaders in Charlotte, NC is calling for systemic reform in response to national police violence against African Americans. Protests erupted last week in Charlotte and other cities across the country amid the police killing of Kenneth Lamont Scott, 43, who was sitting in his car reading a book according to his wife Rakeyia, who was at the scene and videotaped the encounter. Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Police Officers involved in the shooting allege that Scott had a gun, which has been disputed by his wife and other eye witnesses.
Charlotteans leave flowers and candles for Kenneth Lamont Scott who was killed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers. (Photo: Calvin Walton)
Others have noted that North Carolina is an “open carry” state, which means that even if Scott had a gun, he had the right to have the gun out in the open. Scott’s case was further complicated by a recently passed North Carolina law (House Bill 972) blocking the release of body cam footage, signed by North Carolina Governor and former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. McCrory, who is a Republican, said the law “will promote uniformity, clarity and transparency” while detractors including the state’s attorney general Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said House Bill 972 could have the opposite effect of minimizing police accountability. Scott’s wife release footage of Scott’s encounter with the police on Friday, September 23.
Body cam footage of police officers involved in Scott’s killing was released on September 24.
Scott’s killing is one of a string of police killings of unarmed black men and women happening in the country. Charlotte is the site of the police killing of former FAMU football player Jonathan Ferrell. In 2013, Ferrell was gunned down by Mecklenburg County police following a car accident in which he was reportedly seeking help. Ferrell who was 24-years-old died at the scene.
A group of concerned African-American leaders has released the following statement (SOURCE: Facebook):
CHARLOTTE, September 24, 2016 — We, the undersigned, express our sincerest prayers and condolences to the family of Keith Scott. The taking of any human life is tragic. Whether the taking of a black life is the result of neighborhood crime or law enforcement actions, sadly, in America today, the value of a black life continues to be diminished in the eyes of far too many. This must end! As a group of African-American men who are longtime Charlotte residents, we stand in steadfast unity with a renewed commitment to undertake measures designed to reverse this appalling trend. We acknowledge that far too many black lives are lost at the hands of our own and we will continue our collective efforts to deter the next act of absurd violence. However, only through the restoration of lost trust and confidence in policing and the criminal justice system will our community begin to heal and work in a more meaningful and collaborative manner with law enforcement to end the cycle of senseless and avoidable killings of black Americans.
To that end we are calling upon political and governmental leadership to take the following actions:
1. Immediately release all body-worn and dashboard camera recordings made by the CMPD related to the death of Keith Scott.
2. Immediately repeal, in its entirety, N.C. House Bill 972 which provides recordings made by law enforcement agencies are not public records and thereby not subject to public disclosure without a court order.
3. Enact legislation that provides that all body-worn, custodial and dashboard camera recordings made by law enforcement agencies related to law enforcement use of deadly force are public records and shall be disclosed publicly within three business days from the date of the use of deadly force.
4. Enact legislation mandating that instances of police use of force resulting in death, officerinvolved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody inmate death investigations, shall be conducted by external law enforcement agencies.
5. Enact legislation mandating the use of an external, independent prosecutor in cases of police use of force resulting in injury or death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death and in-custody deaths.
6. Enact legislation mandating all N.C. law enforcement agencies collect, maintain and annually report data, including demographic data of all parties involved, to the public and the Federal Government on all officer-involved discharging of firearms, whether fatal or nonfatal.
7. Enact legislation mandating all N.C. law enforcement agencies collect, maintain and analyze demographic data on all detentions including stops, frisks, searches, criminal summons and arrests.
8. Enact legislation mandating all N.C. law enforcement officers, prior to a search of a person or property, explain to the person that he/she has the right to refuse consent when there is no warrant or probable cause and require the officer desiring to search, to obtain written acknowledgement of the consent to search prior to the search of the person and/or his/her property.
9. Enact legislation mandating all N.C. law enforcement agencies develop and implement officer job performance evaluation measures that takes into consideration officer efforts to engage members of the community and strengthen community partnerships.
10. Enact legislation mandating all N.C. law enforcement agencies enact mandatory annual in service Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), de-escalation training, and implicit bias and cultural responsiveness training. Further we call upon local political and governmental leadership to immediately take the following actions:
11. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to implement all measures as set forth above not currently prohibited by state law.
12. In an effort to create more responsiveness and accountability to the electorate, the Charlotte City Council to place a referendum on the November 2017 ballot for voter consideration to modify the City of Charlotte Charter from a Council—Manager form of municipal government, to a Mayor-Council form of government, thereby combining mayoral and chief executive officer powers into one office.
We also call upon the N.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders in Charlotte and throughout the state to:
13. Publicly call upon political and governmental leadership to implement measures designed to: deter discriminatory policing practices; promote law enforcement accountability; foster transparency in law enforcement; and restore and strengthen public confidence in the criminal justice system for the benefit of the community and law enforcement.
14. Publicly call upon local and state political and governmental leadership to prioritize legislative focus on increasing economic empowerment and opportunity in underserved communities.
Finally, we acknowledge that many more complex factors exist that contribute to generational disparities in education, economic opportunity and healthcare, which require much more comprehensive measures than outlined here. However, with the implementation of systemic criminal justice reform, Charlotte and North Carolina can turn a tragedy into a national model for
restoration of public confidence in criminal justice and improved economic mobility that will enhance public safety for all.
Attorney Harold Cogdell, Jr.
Mr. Harry Jones
Senator Joel Ford
Rev. Dr. Sheldon Shipman
Dr. Patrick Graham
Mr. Charles Walker
Mr. Herb Gray
Rev. Dr. Dwayne Anthony Walker
Mr. Damian Johnson
Mr. Eric Watson
Rev. Dr. Peter M. Wherr
Cape Town's first black archbishop Desmond Tutu has been hospitalized for an infection following surgery.
(Photo: Google Images)
Cape Town’s first black archbishop Desmond Tutu has been hospitalized for an infection following surgery. (Photo: Google Images)
Brent Swails, Jason Hanna and Ralph Ellis of CNN are reporting Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 84, has been readmitted to a hospital after displaying signs of an infection following surgery he had earlier this month. The reporters write:
“The 84-year-old Nobel laureate had spent three weeks in a Cape Town hospital, from last month until Wednesday, to receive treatment for a recurring infection, and he had minor surgery to address the issue. On Saturday, his wife, Leah, said that the surgical wound itself was showing signs of infection. Tutu underwent hospital tests for a persistent infection in 2013. A year later, he canceled travel plans because of a long-running battle with prostate cancer, first diagnosed in 1997.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work to end apartheid.
Regina Hall and Morris Chestnut star in Sony's 'When the Bough Breaks.'
(Photo: Sony Pictures)
Regina Hall and Morris Chestnut star in Sony’s ‘When the Bough Breaks.’ (Photo: Sony Pictures)
The highly anticipated thriller ‘When the Bough Breaks,” starring Regina Hall, Morris Chestnut, Jaz Sinclair and Romany Falco lands in theaters today. The film is about a surrogate mother (Sinclair) for an affluent couple (Chestnut and Hall), who becomes dangerously obsessed with the soon-to-be father (Chestnut). Check out the trailer below:
Will you be going to see the thriller? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter or Instagram @TheBurtonWire.
