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$1.7 Million in Student Debt Erased for Black Women at Bennett College

2 mins read
bennett college

In North Carolina, students at Bennett College with past-due tuition bills in collection will see $1.7 million of their debts erased.

A union of borrowers known as the Debt Collective purchased and paid off the student loans of nearly 500 Black women at Bennett, an all-women liberal arts HBCU in Greensboro.

Bennett College issued this statement about the cancellation:

“We understand that this has been an exceptionally challenging time and want to ease people’s burdens. The debts that were erased for these 462 individuals were debts owed directly to the school. These debts are different from federal and private student loans, which we do not have the ability to cancel because they are owned by the federal government.”

The group describes itself as a debtor’s union, with dues-paying members. It’s partially because of those funds that the collective was able to coordinate the buyout of the Bennett College debt.

The Debt Collective acquired the debt through a sister entity known as the Rolling Jubilee, a nonprofit that buys and discharges medical, carceral and other forms of consumer debt.

Braxton Brewington, a spokesman for the organization, said they chose Bennett College in North Carolina because Black women on average have higher student loan balances than any other group of borrowers. The debt cleared does not include federal student loans, only money owed directly to the school.

“These are the people that are really taking the brunt of the student debt crisis,” Brewington said.

Bennett College pulled $1.7 million in student debts the college had sent to collections and instead allowed the Rolling Jubilee to buy it. That price? $50,000, or about three cents on the dollar.

The Debt Collective’s model for eliminating student debts isn’t going to solve the debt crisis. Rather, Brewington said, the group’s hope is to highlight how cheaply and easily debt can be cleared.

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6 Ways to Avoid Burnout in Your Small Business

4 mins read
burnout

While many business owners are passionate about what they do, they may eventually reach a point of overwork, stress, and burnout.

Burnout is not a diagnosable medical condition and is classified as an occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organization (WHO). They have even outlined the characteristics of burnout as:

  • A reduction in professional efficiency,
  • An increase in negative feelings like cynicism in relation to one’s job,
  • A lack of energy and exhaustion.

If left unaddressed, burnout can negatively impact an individual’s mental well-being and affect a business’s ability to operate at its best. As a small business owner, it’s important to take a step back from work in order for your business to operate efficiently in the long run.

Read on for tips on avoiding burnout and taking care of your mental health.

1. Take a Break

Taking regular breaks is not a waste of time, despite popular belief. In fact, it’s been found to improve productivity and overall performance. You should also indulge in activities close to the heart, whether catching up with a friend or starting a hobby.

Also, ensure to plan holidays and vacations. This means refraining from official communication unless it’s an emergency.

2. Learn to Identify and Deal With Stress

Stress is one of the primary reasons many small business owners experience burnout, so it’s necessary to nip it in the bud.

The symptoms and signs of stress at work can be physical, psychological, and behavioral. Make sure to identify what triggers stress and work on ways to manage it. Keeping it at bay can boost productivity at work and improve your mental wellbeing.

3. Stay Organised at Work

Not having things organized and in place can leave business owners in no man’s land. If you’re not sure where to find work-related files and folders or a structured workday, it can lead to distraction and more stress.

4. Make a Checklist

If you find that you constantly have a lot on your plate, consider making a checklist of all the tasks and activities that need to be done. You can also add notes, prioritize by deadlines, and mark completed tasks. This will help you stay organized and on top of things.

5. Set Reminders

Despite having a checklist of all the things you need to do, some tasks and activities could remain incomplete. However, setting reminders will help you ensure tasks are completed and on time.

6. Take a Power Nap

Avoiding burnout is essential to the success of a business. For a small business to operate and function productively, it is vital for its owner to remain both mentally and physically healthy.

Research has shown that including power naps in your day can lead to many benefits, including an increase in productivity.

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Grovara Is Transforming Global Trade With a Game Changing B2B Marketplace

1 min read

Abu Kamara is the CEO and co-founder of Grovara, the first B2B global marketplace to connect food and beverage brands with international retailers.

To date, Grovara has raised $8.75 million on its quest to transform global trade.

In this episode, Abu shares:

  • The current state of global trade and US exports.
  • The current export process and how Grovara is disrupting it.
  • How they have raised over $8.7 million to date and what the fundraising process has been like.
  • Why he has been intentional about creating a diverse team.
  • Advice for brands that intend to expand into international stores.
  • Building an innovation center in Sierre Leone and mentoring the next generation of young entrepreneurs.

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Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses You Should Know

2 mins read
Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Walmart’s recent attempt to commercialize Juneteenth with a new ice cream flavor backfired.

Their “Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream,” was met with outrage and has sparked a backlash from many on social media.

Juneteenth ice cream found in a Walmart store in North Carolina.

The company has now pulled the product from its shelves and issued an apology. However, don’t worry, they still have several other Juneteenth related items for sale including the “It’s the freedom for me,” can cooler :/

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

This is a great time to remind all that there are several Black-owned ice cream businesses that we can support, starting with Creamalicious, the brand that originally created the swirled red velvet and cheesecake flavor that Walmart used for its own version.

Black-Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Creamalicious Ice Creams (Nationwide)

Mikey Likes It (New York, NY)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Here’s The Scoop DC (Washington D.C.)

Here's The Scoop Delivery & Takeout | 2824 Georgia Avenue Northwest Washington | Menu & Prices | DoorDash

JD’s Vegan (Select locations nationwide)

JD's Vegan - Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert

 

Taharka Bros. Ice Cream (Baltimore, MD)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Earthy Goodness Vegan (Houston, TX)

black owned ice cream businesses

Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe (St. Louis, MO)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Little Giant Ice Cream (Oakland, CA )

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Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets (Richmond, VA )

HOME | Ruby Scoops

Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats (Alexandria, VA)

 

Whipped Urban Dessert Lab (New York, NY)

 

Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’s Cool World Ice Cream Shop (Athens, GA)

Cajou Creamery (Baltimore, MD)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Kubé (Oakland, CA)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Double Dipper Ice Cream (Claymont, DE)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

Ice Cream 504 (New Orleans, LA)

 

Tipping Cow (Somerville, MA)

Black Owned Ice Cream Businesses

 

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Black Nurse Launches The First Digital Community To Support Maternal Mental Health

5 mins read
wolomi

Wolomi is the first online pregnancy community created by a Black nurse for women of color.  The app connects women of color on their pregnancy journey to information and mental health screening.

In recognition of Maternal Mental health month, we spoke to Wolomi founder, Layo George to learm more about her business and her mission to improve the pregnancy journey by connecting women of color to clinically accessible information, culturally sensitive health experts, mental health screenings, midwifery philosophy, & a supportive community!

What inspired you to start Wolomi?

While working as a delivery nurse in the Midwest. I saw firsthand the differences in the level of health care between white women and women of color.

Care gaps for women of color are an overwhelming reality, as they are three times more likely to die in pregnancy and postpartum depression. When I was pregnant with my child, I didn’t want to die, I wanted a safe and positive experience.

My experience was very positive because I created it myself, however, this is not a reality for all women of color. I wanted to help women navigate the system so they would have better pregnancy outcomes, joy and better care.

Wolomi

What are some of the effects of not addressing maternal health?

We have seen during the pandemic that women of color, especially Black women fare worse in the health system during their pregnancy period. We are basically not getting better at this.

The issue is more of the effects of not addressing it properly. Just because a solution is digital does not necessarily make it culturally competent and relevant for women of color.

The side effect of us not addressing maternal health appropriately means women of color are more likely to experience stress, suffer and die during a time that is supposed to be a joyful time.

What are some strategies mothers and mothers-to-be can use to combat maternal health challenges?

  • Make sure that you pick the right provider (doctor, midwife) that understands you, and that you trust.
  • Realize that you are a customer in the healthcare system, always ask questions, amplify the things you like and reject what you don’t.
  • Use tools like the Wolomi App to help you prep and find the words you need when going to your provider (doctor or midwife)
  • Trust your gut and yourself
  • Create a community around you. You can’t do it alone, and it is ok. There are great platforms like the Wolomi App where you can find moms like you on the journey.
  • Don’t be afraid to use a professional therapist especially when things get rough.

Do you feel that the pandemic has had an effect on maternal mental health?

Oh yes. At the beginning of the pandemic, we got a lot of messages from moms scared, especially with some of the restrictions that were placed in the birthing places.

Things constantly change and that can be hard for aspiring moms, moms-to-be, and new moms. Not only do they have to navigate constant changes, at times they have to do it in isolation.

Birthing people are being asked to shoulder a lot mentally.

What are some maternal health-related solutions that you would like to see implemented in the healthcare industry?

 We have a real shortage of culturally competent maternal health providers. The waitlist can be very long and sometimes it can be very expensive (if your insurance doesn’t cover the therapist you like, etc).

I would like to see more platforms that address the recruitment and training of culturally competent mental health providers.

 

Tony O. Lawson

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Largest Collection Of Gordon Parks Photos Acquired By Howard University

5 mins read
gordon parks

Howard University and The Gordon Parks Foundation recently announced a historic acquisition of 244 photographs representing the arc of Gordon Parks’s career over five decades.

The breadth of the collection—which spans Parks’s earliest photographs in the 1940s through the 1990s—makes it one of the most comprehensive resources for the study of Parks’s life and work anywhere in the world.

The Gordon Parks Legacy collection, a combined gift and purchase, will be housed in the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.

The photographs serve as a rich repository for the development of exhibitions and multidisciplinary curricula that advances scholarship on Parks’s contributions as an artist and humanitarian.

Howard University’s acquisition is part of The Gordon Parks Foundation’s commitment to supporting initiatives that provide access to and deepen understanding of the work and vision of Parks for artists, scholars, students, and the public. Building on this partnership, the Foundation and Howard University are exploring future projects that draw on the collection to catalyze new research and joint programming.

“This landmark acquisition provides new dimension to studying the work and lasting impact of Gordon Parks through the context and resources of a university,” said Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., Executive Director of The Gordon Parks Foundation. “Gordon embodied the many values that Howard University stands for, making it a fitting home for engaging with one of the great chroniclers of Black American life.”

“Howard University is proud to be the recipient of such an important collection of work by African American artist and photojournalist Gordon Parks,” said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, President of Howard University. “Mr. Parks was a trailblazer whose documentation of the lived experiences of African Americans, especially during the civil rights period, inspired empathy, encouraged cultural and political criticism, and sparked activism among those who viewed his work. Having a collection of his timeless photographs in the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center will allow Howard University faculty, students, and visiting scholars to draw on his work and build upon his legacy of truth telling and representation through the arts.”

“I am extremely excited about this historic acquisition by Howard University and this rich addition to Moorland-Spingarn’s collection,” said Ben Talton, Ph.D., Director of The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. “It fortifies Howard’s place as the premier institution preserving the legacy of the global Black experience. In addition to acquiring the nation’s largest Garden Parks collection, Howard University is gaining a partner in the Gordon Parks Foundation. This collection and this historic collaboration provide our students and faculty with direct access to Parks’ work and the resources of the Gordon Parks Foundation for research and teaching. As a photographer and filmmaker, Parks provided a unique narrative of the beauty and pain of the history of the United States during the second half of the 20th century.”

The collection traces Parks’s progression from early portraits of rising talents to becoming a leading photographer of Black celebrities through the subsequent decades.

Represented are Parks’s mid-career works Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun, New York, New York, 1959; Duke Ellington in Concert, New York, 1960; Louis Armstrong, Los Angeles, California, 1969; among other photographs of notable figures from the period.

The holdings also include photographs taken later in Parks’s career of subjects representing new generations of changemakers at the height of their emergence on the cultural scene, including portraits of the iconic fashion model Iman from the 1970s, and images taken in New York of Jazz musician Miles Davis in 1981, and filmmaker Spike Lee in 1990.

 

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Ernie Barnes Painting From ‘Good Times’ Sells For $15.2 Million

3 mins read
eric barnes

Ernie Barnes created the painting “The Sugar Shack” in the early 1970s. It gained international exposure when it was used on the Good Times television series and on a 1976 Marvin Gaye album.

On the 12th of May, the iconic painting was sold at auction in New York City for almost $15.27 million.

According to Christie’s auction house, the sale set an auction record for Barnes’ work by more than 27 times the artist’s previous record, and was 76 times the high estimate of $200,000. The 10-minute auction drew 22 bidders before Houston-based energy trader Bill Perkins.

“I would have paid a lot more,” Perkins told The New York Times following the auction. “For certain segments of America, it’s more famous than the Mona Lisa.”

Eric Barnes
Ernie Barnes

According to Ernie Barnes official website, he created the original version of “The Sugar Shack” after reflecting upon his childhood, during which he was not “able to go to a dance.”

Barnes said in a 2008 interview, “The Sugar Shack’ is a recall of a childhood experience. It was the first time my innocence met with the sins of dance. The painting transmits rhythm so the experience is re-created in the person viewing it.  To show that African-Americans utilize rhythm as a way of resolving physical tension.”

“The Sugar Shack” has been known to art critics for embodying the style of art composition known as “Black Romantic,” which, according to Natalie Hopkinson of The Washington Post, is the “visual-art equivalent of the Chitlin’ circuit.”

When Barnes first created “The Sugar Shack,” he included his hometown radio station WSRC (Durham, NC) on a banner. He incorrectly listed the frequency as 620. It was actually 1410. Barnes confused what he used to hear WSRC’s on-air personality Norfley Whitted saying “620 on your dial” when Whitted was at his former station WDNC in the early 1950s.

After Marvin Gaye asked him for permission to use the painting as an album cover, Barnes then augmented the painting by adding references that allude to Gaye’s album, including banners hanging from the ceiling to promote the album’s singles.

During the “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” anniversary television special on March 25, 1983, tribute was paid to “The Sugar Shack” with a dance interpretation of the painting. It was also during this telecast that Michael Jackson introduced his famous “moonwalk” dance.

Barnes died of leukemia in 2009 at age 70.

Tony O. Lawson

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Black Founder Raises $2.3M To Help Businesses Prevent Cyberattacks

1 min read
black founder hacware

In this Black founder spotlight, we’re speaking with Tiffany Ricks, the CEO of HacWare, a company that helps organizations identify phishing attempts and defend against data breaches.

During this interview, Tiffany shares:

  • How businesses can reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
  • Thoughts on the recent closing of HBCU, Lincoln College due to a cyberattack.
  • Raising $2.3M and what the fundraising process was like.
  • What she feels made HacWare attractive to investors.
  • The milestones that she wants to achieve in the next 5 years.

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Here’s Why Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty is Expanding into 8 African Countries

3 mins read
fenty beauty

Fenty Beauty is a cosmetics brand that was launched by Rihanna in September of 2017. The brand is popular for its broad inclusivity across skin types and tones.

Fenty Beauty initially launched in 17 countries with a vision of inclusivity and global reach at its core.

On May 10th, Rihanna announced via an Instagram post that beginning May 27th, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin products will be available in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and that it’s “just the beginning”.

“I am a proud Bajan who also feels a close connection to Africa, and its people,” she said in a press release.

“I’ve had the pleasure, and the privilege, to spend time on the continent and those experiences never leave you. Now, being able to bring Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin to eight African countries and then hopefully more in the future — means so much to me.”

The African Beauty Market

Africa’s population of 1.4 billion people is projected to double by 2050. 

With this population growth, the potential in the African market is enormous. With rising disposable incomes, Africa’s 18 most populated cities could have a combined spending power of $ 1.3 trillion. 

Not only is the African population growing, so is the African beauty market. 70% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is under the age of 30. This group is the most likely to be interested in a wide range of cosmetics and beauty products.

According to recent reports, the beauty and personal care market share in Africa is expected to increase by $1.26 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market’s growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 2%.

Some of the influential factors that are increasing market growth include the rising middle-class population and the rise in online shopping trends.

Another key factor driving growth in the beauty market in Africa is a demand for innovative products that address multiple concerns within a minimal time span.

Lastly, more African women, especially in the middle class, have attained higher education, allowing many to pursue careers that offer higher than average income and the luxury of spending on premium products, including skincare and cosmetics.

Fenty Beauty undoubtedly sees the potential in this promising market and has made its move.

 

Tony O. Lawson

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How to Reduce Your Facebook Ad Costs

4 mins read
facebook

As more and more businesses utilize Facebook ads, the higher the competition on the platform—which results in a hike in the cost of advertising.

More number of players within a specific industry also means that your ads won’t reach as many potential leads as they can. But Facebook ads are crucial to any promotional strategy, so marketers cannot let go of them.

Facebook is the largest social media platform with the most users worldwide, so it’s a compelling platform for advertisements, despite the high costs. So how do you create a successful Facebook ad without burning a hole in your pocket?

This article highlights steps you can take to reduce advertising costs and optimize your budget. Keep reading to know more.

Get an Airtight Marketing Strategy

If your Facebook ads aren’t attracting as much attention as they should be, don’t always try to optimize your ads to expand reach. Try to figure out why or how you’re losing your target audience’s attention.

Bear in mind that while Facebook can track everything that happens on its platform and direct customers to your brand, it cannot track what customers do on your website and how they interact with it. Potential leads may access your website through Facebook, but they may choose to exit the website quickly if you do not have a fast, user-friendly, or mobile-friendly site.

Facebook cannot track and analyze customer action on your website. Using other analytical tools such as Google Analytics can help you prudently spend your marketing budget in an efficient way.

Effectively Use First-Party Data

Identify your target audience’s preferences, concerns, and expectations and alter your advertising strategy to address them. You can utilize the first-party data that Facebook tracks and stores on its platform to develop smart marketing strategies to expand reach and increase engagement.

Develop a brand awareness campaign to promote the posts, videos, and blogs that highlight key aspects of your business and brand image. You can reach new audiences by reverting back to advertising your fundamental services than by showcasing your expertise or skill.

An engagement campaign can also attract more organic attention to your brand and content. Optimizing your content and presenting it in a catchy and compelling way can help you gain organic traffic for your ads. Understanding the purpose of your promotional strategies can be cost-effective for your brand in the long run.

Switch Up Your Creative Style

Facebook users today are well aware of being surrounded by ads on the platform. Ads occupy a considerable chunk of space in a person’s timeline, so users find it easier to tune them out rather than paying attention to them.

During such times of advertising indifference, manually deciding where your ad should appear on a person’s timeline can help gain more attention for your brand. Surprising a potential customer with your ad placement can ensure that they actually take notice of you, thus creating brand awareness.

You can also try to make your ad copy sound more organic and appealing by adopting a casual, conversational tone. Tweaking your creative style will ensure that you expand reach and spend your advertising budget smartly and cost-effectively.

If you’re looking for digital marketing experts to optimize your Facebook ad performance, email us at agency@shoppeblack.us today.

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